Ind vs NZ – 2nd Test – Washington Sundar bursts out of nowhere and announces his all-format chops

“It was all God’s plan,” Washington said.

Washington. Pune. God's plan. Does this sound familiar?

But even Shastri couldn't see Thursday coming.

It is quite unusual for this Indian team to make additions to their squad in the middle of a home Test series unless there are concerns about the fitness or availability of the players. While there were hints on Tuesday that Washington might play on a low-bounce, black-earth pitch in Pune – he had a long bowling stint alongside Ashwin in the nets – it still seemed excessive that he would replace Kuldeep Yadav in the Indian attack. And no one could have expected him to do that and then eclipse Ashwin.

In the end, Washington matched Ashwin's career-best Test figures as the senior offspinner dismissed his potential successor at the end of New Zealand's innings.

Washington didn't have quite the same effect on the Pune crowd, but he quietly worked his way back into Test cricket. There were signs of rust, particularly when he bowled short and narrow to Young over the off-stump while the leg side was manned by six fielders.

Then the ball came to Rachin Ravindra.

“One thing we talked about was his run-up speed, you know, just bringing more energy into the run-up rather than just strolling, and more overspin,” Sriram, who watched Washington's spell from Chennai, told ESPNcricinfo. “He also had a little finger problem recently so he was recovering from that. One of the things we've talked about is always going back to that overspin that gives it more bounce. And overspin is only possible if you have that momentum in advance.

“If you don't have momentum on the run-up, it's very difficult to get that overspin. One of the things we discussed was obviously that bounce was his main weapon. And how he can use that to his advantage in both white ball and red ball cricket.”

In his next over, Washington managed to drift the ball away from Tom Blundell, then lower it and charge through the goal. Washington is usually a man of few emotions, but this wicket meant so much to him that he produced an animated fist pump. Washington was selected primarily to counter a left-handed-heavy New Zealand lineup. This was proof that he could also shut out right-handers.

“I think once he gets the seam angle right and the release right and the RPM right, the drop and drift takes care of itself,” Sriram said. “He used the shine to get the drift with the right seam angle. And if the seam is upright, it will also fall down. As with Blundell, she fell on him a little. He played with the spin but the slight drift and drop caught the wicket.

Washington then repeatedly hit the drier, long tape on the field with laser-like precision, keeping the stumps in play. He was rewarded with five more wickets in nine overs.

“I think he settled in in the first two phases,” Sriram said. “He found the right tempo and also the right rhythm. But when he got those two wickets at tea, his confidence also grew. It just happened so quickly for him that it looked casual. But it wasn’t so casual.

Sriram hopes that Washington will grow up as an all-rounder under Gambhir, with whom he worked as an assistant coach at Lucknow Super Giants.

“Yes, I think Gauti also deserves credit,” Sriram said. “Because I think he always thinks highly of him. No matter what small conversations I had with Gauti in LSG, he always rated Washy very highly. And he's someone I think he'll use very well as an all-rounder. Both.” With the bat and the ball, he will encourage him at certain times with the bat and also make the most of him with the ball and provide him with the ideal situations in which he can be successful in all formats of the game.

Maybe that’s God’s long-term plan then.