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According to former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, Washington Sundar`s game-winning cameo against the Punjab Kings is bound to allay some of the Gujarat Titans` initial concerns regarding the vulnerability of their middle order.
With five fours and a six, Washington, who came in at number five, hit 40 not out off 23 balls to finish a challenging chase of 164 with one ball remaining, keeping GT in the running for a play-off spot.
“Washington Sundar`s innings was extremely important because it addressed a key question around the Gujarat Titans` middle order,” Ashwin told JioStar after GT beat PBKS by five wickets.
He was impressed that Washington showed requisite composure to finish off the game and gave the team management confidence to use him as a flexible option.
“While a lot of their runs come from the top three, contributions like this show the depth they have. Washington has often been used as a flexible option, but he stepped up, handled the pressure well, and ensured the chase was completed. It might not have looked flashy, but it was a very composed and clinical effort to get the team over the line,” Ashwin added.
Ashwin praised GT`s composure while chasing a low total. The former Indian spinner liked GT`s approach against PBKS.
“Gujarat Titans were once again incredibly composed in the way they approached the chase. Their batting may not always look explosive, but it`s highly methodical and built around understanding conditions.
“On pitches like these, where 160 to 170 is a competitive score, it is about controlling the game and executing your plans rather than chasing big numbers. They have shown remarkable consistency over the years with this approach, and credit goes to both the management and the players for sticking to their process and getting the job done under pressure,” Ashwin said.
The Gujarat Titans are fifth in the IPL table
The Gujarat Titans are currently on 12 points after 10 games and find themselves in fifth place in the table. The 2022 champions are level on points with RR, SRH and RCB as the IPL enters its business end.
GT`s top order of Sai Sudarshan, Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler have been delivering the goods for them, but Washington Sundar`s current form comes as a big boost for their middle order.
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