Washington Sundar Likes to Keep It Fresh, No Matter The Stage
How cricketer Washington Sundar plays it in style
There must be a moment in every athlete’s life when the game becomes something else—no longer just sport. For cricketer Washington Sundar, that moment might forever be frozen in a single image.
The year 2021, a test match at the Gabba. The Aussies smelling blood and looking to end India’s spirited chase. Pat Cummins steaming in, digging the ball short and out of Washi’s eyeline. The 21-year-old shuffling, not very smoothly, and hooking it clean into the back rows. Reckless and measured, boyish and audacious. It was a shot that not only shifted the momentum in the context of that particular game, but also symbolised a cultural refusal to roll over.
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Four years on, Washington still remembers the sound. “That picture is still in my head,” he says. “The ball going into the stand. But really, I was just playing to the merit of the ball.” The understatement is pure Washington—casual, composed, almost allergic to self-mythologising. Yet the shot lives on as a calling card: here was a spinner who could hold the bat, a young player who stayed composed when it mattered.
Fast-forward to now, and the battleground has changed. Funnily, instead of Pat Cummins, Washington is wrestling with a different foe: an overstuffed suitcase. “It’s the hardest part of the job,” he says, shaking his head, amused and exasperated in equal measure. “When we go abroad, the shopping options are so tempting. And then suddenly nothing fits in one suitcase anymore.”
Funny, and a bit cute, that it’s the kind of complaint that comes from someone who in the past year has scored a maiden Test century in England, rattled England at Lord’s, and struck a 50 at the Oval from No. 9, playing with the freedom of someone with nothing to lose.
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India drew the England series 2–2. Washington, though, came out of it with a sense that something had shifted. He’s not just the kid who once filled in at the Gabba, not just a promising all-rounder anymore. Slowly, he is becoming one of the men India can lean on—bowling long, tiring spells in unfamiliar conditions and showing the temperament of a match-winner. Not bad for someone whose biggest travel worry is making sure his hair wax is packed!
WASHINGTON IS TALL—AT LEAST SIX FEET—AND STRIKING, yet soft-spoken, with a composure that makes you forget he’s only 26. Growing up in a cricketing family and debuting at 17 has clearly taught him a thing or two about presence.
His father, M Sundar, once a contender for the Tamil Nadu team, was his first coach and even named him after his own godfather, PD Washington, a passionate cricket fan who encouraged M Sundar’s game. Family has always been central to Washington’s life—his mother, whom he’s closest to at home, still gets anxious seeing him on TV and prays each time he plays. His sister, herself a cricketer, keeps cricket talk to a minimum these days. “It’s very healthy. Growing up, it was always about cricket—which was needed then. But now, there are other things to talk about.”
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The other thing he’s inherited at home—from his father—is his love of colours. “I genuinely like wearing different colours,” grins Washington, who is photographed at airports in coral shirts and cream trousers. “Growing up, I saw my dad in bright yellows and reds. His friends weren’t fans, but I always loved it. Maybe that’s where it comes from. “I’m someone who likes to put my best self forward every time I step out,” he adds. “Even on holiday, I like to see myself looking my best. I enjoy experimenting with style—it excites me, keeps me on my toes.”
For Washington, the connection between fashion and cricket is clear. “It all starts with how you think about yourself. On the field or off it, it’s the same. I like to innovate, try different things—whether in fashion or with my skill set.”
The word experiment comes up often with him. It’s in his wardrobe, in his game, and in the way he has carved his space in an Indian team that is perennially searching for the next big all-rounder. But the dualities don’t cancel each other out; they’re the rhythm of someone building balance on his own terms.
Few Indian cricketers can say they’ve been in the public eye as long, as young. Washington made his international debut as a teenager. At an age when most are still trying to get a handle on university or their first jobs, he was facing the best in the world, under the weight of millions of expectations.
“Since 17, I’ve been on that stage,” he reflects. “It’s been a blessing in every way. Playing against different oppositions, in different conditions—it’s fascinating. Cricket is a sport where you compete every single day, against the best. That’s exciting to me.”
With his bowling, Washington has long been looked at as India’s next fabulous spin all-rounder. It’s a tag heavy enough to buckle most young players, but he carries it lightly.
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“It’s a compliment,” he says firmly. “But for me, it’s about focusing on my game and how I can bring out the best in myself. Playing within my strengths has always given me success.”
THE LESSON HERE IS NOT ABOUT IMITATION BUT SELFawareness. “I’ve tried copying others before,” he admits, “and it never worked. What worked was understanding my DNA with cricket.” It’s why he views being versatile—changing formats, roles, or batting positions—not as a burden but as an opportunity. “In a team sport, it’s about what the team needs. That excites me—to be the player who can adapt, who can win a game in any situation.”
Fitness plays its part, too. He is not performative about it, but his routine is disciplined: four to five sessions a week, conditioning and gym, as much for mental clarity as physical readiness. “If you feel fit, with enough energy, you can do a lot more in your day-to-day life,” he says.
And yet, for all the discipline, he insists on play. The day before a big game? No diets, no meditation camps. “If I want junk, I’ll eat junk. If I want to watch a movie, I’ll do that. If I want to sleep the whole day, I will. I do whatever I think helps me be at my best the next day.”
At 26, he already has defining highs—debuting at 17, his heroics the Gabba, a Test century in England, IPL stints with cricket’s biggest names. What comes next? The answer is simple: “I want to win as many games and championships for my country as possible.”
It’s not about personal milestones or the stats. It’s about the team, the wins, the collective. That’s perhaps why Washington stands out in Indian cricket today. His personal style may tell a different story, but on the field he remains understated—experimenting, learning and giving his best.
Credits
Photography: Aneev Rao
Styling: Komal Shetty
Words: Abhya Adlakha
Hair & Grooming: Saher Gandhi from Faze
Styling Intern: Vaishnavi Misra
Bookings Editor: Varun Shah
Artist PR: NewNarrative Media
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