Who said what - top 5 expert to Washington Sundar's blistering fifty on Day 3 of ENG vs IND 2025 5th Test ft. Navjot Singh Sidhu

Team India enjoyed a terrific Day 3 (Saturday, August 2) of the fifth Test against England at the Kennington Oval in London. The visitors resumed the day at 75/2 after 18 overs, with Yashasvi Jaiswal (51) and Akash Deep (4) at the crease.

The duo stitched together a brilliant 107-run partnership off 150 balls for the third wicket. Akash Deep brought up his maiden Test fifty, scoring 66 off 94 deliveries.

While Shubman Gill (11) and Karun Nair (17) couldn’t make much of an impact, Jaiswal was outstanding, notching up his second century of the series with 118 off 164 balls. Dhruv Jurel chipped in with a valuable 34, and Ravindra Jadeja continued his good form with a solid 53.

Washington Sundar was on 17 off 23 when India lost their ninth wicket at 357. The left-hander then went on the attack, reaching his fifty in just 39 balls with a six. He finished with a stunning 53 off 46 deliveries, smashing four fours and four sixes, and added 39 runs for the final wicket with Prasidh Krishna (0*).

India were eventually bowled out for 396, setting England a target of 374 runs. At stumps, the hosts were 50/1, still needing 324 to win.

On a day dominated by India with multiple batters stepping up, it was Washington Sundar who stole the spotlight with his blazing fifty.

On that note, we take a look at five expert reactions to Sundar’s explosive knock on Day 3 of the 2025 ENG vs IND 5th Test.

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5 expert to Washington Sundar's blistering fifty on Day 3 of ENG vs IND 2025 5th Test

#1 Irfan Pathan

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan lauded Washington Sundar for his fiery fifty, opining that the innings could potentially prove to be the difference between the two sides. In a video shared on his YouTube channel (@officialIrfanPathan), the 40-year-old said:

“In my opinion, that 50-run knock by Washington Sundar will eventually make a difference. If that quickfire innings hadn’t come, especially at the end when only one wicket was left and he was batting around 17, it could have been a different story. But he played big shots, and the way he hits, he doesn't keep the pull shot down, he goes aerial. When you have the license to do that, the option of hitting in the air becomes much more effective for a batter.”

“He took full advantage of England’s short-ball tactics. That is the right way to bat with the tail. When you are eight or nine wickets down, you have to shift into an aggressive mode. You may not go after every ball, but you have to show intent. Otherwise, you will not get runs. Those last 50 or so runs at the end could prove to be absolutely crucial. When we look back tomorrow, we will realise how important they were, not just for the scoreboard but also for the team’s morale. Crossing the 375 mark was vital, and those final runs were Washington Sundar’s contribution,” he added.

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#2 Aakash Chopra

Former India opener turned commentator Aakash Chopra praised Washington Sundar for his shot-making and the way he batted with the tail, adding 39 valuable runs for the final wicket despite no contribution from Prasidh Krishna. Speaking in a video on his YouTube channel (@CricketAakash), he said:

"Washi Sundar batted with the tail and scored runs there too. The last-wicket partnership was 39 runs, in which Prasidh Krishna's contribution was zero. This is the biggest partnership in Indian Test cricket history without one man scoring a single run.”

"You pat the back. Washi has done a phenomenal job. He batted extremely well. He played excellent shots. He hit sixes. It's difficult to bat with the tail. Real class is required for you to actually hit boundaries there because you don't get them easily, but he was very, very good,” he added.

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#3 Saba Karim

Former India batter Saba Karim hailed Washington Sundar, noting that fans witnessed a new dimension to the 25-year-old’s batting through the way he handled the innings with the tail. Speaking during a discussion on Sony Sports, the 57-year-old said:

"Such a demotion after scoring a century. You can call it a rain or a shower of sixes. He hit all the short balls into the stands. After scoring a century, it seems like Washington has broken the shackles. He has shown that you can bat him anywhere. You won't bat him below No. 9 now. Don't make him bat below this.”

“Before this, it never seemed like he could bat with tail-enders. We got to see a new dimension in Washington Sundar's batting. His confidence will increase even further because of the sixes he hit and the pace at which he batted. If he pushes himself and plays shots with confidence, he can clear the boundaries,” he added.

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#4 Dinesh Karthik

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik applauded Washington Sundar for showcasing the qualities of a complete all-rounder. What impressed Karthik the most was Sundar’s ability to bat effectively with the tail while displaying his power game. During a discussion on Sky Sports, the 40-year-old said:

“I think he's a solid cricketer. He gives you a lot with the ball, is a very good fielder, and slowly, with every passing inning that he's playing in international cricket, he's showing the kind of mettle he's got. He's shown application a lot of the time, batting for long hours and against any attack anywhere in the world."

"He started in Brisbane, but now consistently, he's played on some real raging turners in India and done well. He's also batted in England consistently against the swinging ball and done quite nicely. So, in all fairness, with every game, he's showing everything a captain would require from an all-rounder. He's giving you something with the ball and with the bat. He's consistent," he added.

Karthik continued:

“But today, what I liked the most was how he took on the bowlers and showed another facet to his game, which is batting with the tail. At times, I thought in this series that he had that opportunity but didn’t bring his power game to the fore, which he has. And today, it was nice to see him use the options he's got and smack it all around the park."

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#5 Navjot Singh Sidhu

Former India opener Navjot Singh Sidhu also lauded Washington Sundar for his crucial last-wicket stand with Prasidh Krishna and the authority with which he executed his pull shots for sixes. In a video shared on his YouTube channel (@NavjotSidhuOfficial), he said:

"When Washington Sundar came in, you know, there was again that fear that it might turn into a string of zeroes like a telephone number. But then came a 40-run partnership, or around 39 runs. Prasidh Krishna scored zero and all 39 were from Washington Sundar. That pull shot, I mean, short of a good length? This pull shot can intimidate anyone because this shot is a symbol of dominance, a sign that 'I am in control, I can terrorize you.' It creates intimidation, a fear of the devil in the opposition. It’s a very powerful thing."

In his 13th Test appearance, Washington Sundar has amassed 752 runs at a noteworthy average of 44.23, registering five fifties and a century. He has also taken 32 wickets at an average of 27.87 and a strike rate of 49.8, which includes a five-wicket haul.