Jadeja, Sundar batting form give India option to attack

Allrounders hitting match-saving tons means wrist spinner Kuldeep can be called up for the final Test

- Sanjeev K Samyal

When a player averages 44.87 after 12 Tests even while batting lower down the order, his batting potential is unquestionable.

On Sunday, Washington Sundar underlined his quality with a maiden century, a superb effort under extreme pressure, to help India salvage a draw in the Old Trafford Test. In 20 of his 22 innings, he has batted at Nos.7, 8 and 9 and still has solid numbers.

Ravindra Jadeja has proven his quality with the bat time and again ~3,824 Test runs. In this series, he has taken his performances to a different level.

Having learnt his game from qualified coaches in Chennai, including his cricketer father, Sundar’s basics are sound. He has a copybook technique, convincing enough to be considered asa top-order batter.

Jadeja has not looked like getting out atall in this series against England, averaging 113.50 after hitting four half-centuries and a centuryin eight innings. The Saurashtra player's control with the top hand has been so impressive and his thundering punches down the ground has had a demoralising effect on bowlers.