When Washington Sundar wore the ‘right’ pads

India`s Washington Sundar looks dejected after being dismissed during Day Three of the fourth Test against Australia at The Gabba in Brisbane on January 17, 2021. PIC/Getty Images

India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is technically sound, not just in his craft, but also in most other aspects associated with the game which is evident from the interesting viewpoints he generally puts forth in press conferences or interviews. So, it came as a surprise to learn that he failed to identify the correct cricketing pads during the India tour of Australia in 2020-21.

In Neeraj Pandey's Bandon Mein Tha Dum, a web series on India's historic 2-1 win over Australia Down Under, on Voot Select, Ashwin, who bats and bowls right-handed, reveals he was carrying a left-hander's pads and didn't even realise it.

Ravichandran Ashwin

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In the crucial fourth and final Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, an injured Ashwin was replaced by off-spinner Washington Sundar, who bats left-handed. Now, Sundar who was originally part of India's limited overs team and was asked to stay back after the T20Is and ODIs, had not carried his white batting pads. So he approached Ashwin for his pads. However, Ashwin turned around and said that his pads were for a right-hander so they won't be apt for him. Surprisingly though, when Sundar checked, it turned out that Ashwin's pads were for a left-hander.

The rest, as they say, is history because Sundar went on to break a long-standing record, wearing Ashwin's pads. He first scored his maiden Test half century and then went on to record the highest score by any visiting player batting at No.7 on debut in Australia, with his 62 in the first innings.