All-rounder Sundar emphasizes team positivity and resilience after a dramatic collapse against Australia on Day 2.
Melbourne [Australia], December 27: After a gripping Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test between India and Australia, all-rounder Washington Sundar expressed optimism about India’s chances of bouncing back on Day 3, despite a late batting collapse that left the visitors in a challenging position.
The final hour of Day 2 was filled with drama as India went from a solid 153/2 to 164/5 in a span of just a few overs.
The turning point came with a mix-up between Yashasvi Jaiswal (82) and Virat Kohli, resulting in Jaiswal’s unfortunate run-out. The setback seemed to rattle Kohli, who, after showing great restraint against deliveries outside off-stump, fell prey to his old weakness, edging one to the slip cordon.
The quick wickets of nightwatchman Akash Deep (0) further compounded India’s woes, leaving them trailing by 310 runs, with 111 more needed to avoid the follow-on.
Despite the setbacks, Washington Sundar remains confident in the team’s resilience and ability to fight back.
“We will still come back and continue to fight tomorrow morning. The energy is very good in the dressing room. We are all positive. There’s a long time left in the game—three days and a lot of overs to play. It will be just about us trying to fight really hard and get things done for the team,” Sundar said in the post-day press conference, as quoted by the ICC.
Sundar also highlighted the promise shown by Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli during their partnership, noting that India had been in a strong position to post a competitive total before the late collapse.
With three days still remaining in the Test match, the outcome remains uncertain. However, India face an uphill challenge to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and keep their hopes alive for a spot in the World Test Championship Final.
Day 3 promises to be a crucial turning point, with Rohit Sharma’s side needing a strong batting effort to stabilize their innings and reduce the deficit.
