Former India player Sanjay Manjrekar has picked Washington Sundar in his India playing XI for the first game of the five-match Test series in Perth, starting on Friday, November 22 as well. Manjrekar shared how Sundar did well against New Zealand, claiming 16 wickets in his two Tests as well.

Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo: “Well, there’s a track record of Indian cricket, trusting the spinners. One in 1977, when India played three spinners and it was very close Test match. More recently Kumble and Sehwag playing as spinners. Sehwag got a couple of wickets, [including] Adam Gilchrist.”

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“So, I believe that if you’ve got quality bowlers and after the kind of performance of Washi showed in that last series. I mean, who has the heart and wants to drop somebody like him plus the kind of batting depth he had? So, I would rather sacrifice a pace bowler and have somebody like Washi,” he further added.

However, Sanjay Manjrekar backed his playing XI after including two spinners – Ravindra Jadeja and Sundar in the playing XI.

“Absolutely, I can stand on the rooftops and defend my playing XI because it is the most pragmatic approach to the playing XI rather than going back to convention and past as well. Just looking today and the kind of limited resources that you have in this kind of [situation] where you have very few players to choose from,” he stated.

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“You have a Washington Sundar who’s had a brilliant series and plus the thing that if you got bounce, some spinners can make a mark and Washi could be one of those and he’s already got runs as a batter in Australia. I mean, how can you leave Washington Sundar out is my question and that’s why He’s forced his way into the playing XI despite the kind of history that Perth has,” Sanjay Manjrekar concluded.