This year, Washington has batted consistently in the middle order for the first time, scored his maiden IPL fifty and went past 200 runs in a campaign for the first time ever.<\/p>\n
Washington has regularly walked in at No. 4-5 for GT this season, tallying 296 runs from 12 innings at an impressive average of 42.28. The left-handed batter has been an effective safety net for the Titans, following up on the side\u2019s prolific top-order\u2014Shubman Gill, B. Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Washington combatted tough batting conditions to score a match-winning fifty against his former side, Sunrisers Hyderabad, in Ahmedabad.<\/p>\n
The 26-year-old\u2019s uptick in T20 batting form might have surprised a few. But, for his father and childhood coach, M. Sundar, this is not an unexpected outcome.<\/p>\n
Sundar, in an interview with Sportstar<\/i>, began his observations with a disclaimer. \u201cAll that I am going to say is from the point of view as Washington\u2019s coach and not as his father. I am not at all surprised by his batting this season. He has done nothing special in terms of preparation. He has worked hard, just like always. The only thing that has changed is that he has received more opportunities. That has translated to more runs,\u201d said Sundar.<\/p>\n
As strange as it might sound, this is the first time Washington has batted more than 10 innings in an IPL season\u2014a hard-to-accept fact about one of India\u2019s best all-rounders.<\/p>\n
\u201cGive him more chances, and he will score even more runs. This wasn\u2019t the case in the past. I remember he scored a 14-ball 40 for SRH in 2022. That is a strike rate of almost 300. But still, they stuck with him lower down the order. It is almost impossible to produce runs if you get two or three balls to face in an innings,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
While there were question marks over Washington\u2019s T20 batting credentials ahead of this season, his capabilities in other formats, particularly in Test cricket, were never in doubt<\/p>\n
After making his debut in the famous Gabba Test, Washington has been a reliable batter for India in the longer format. From 17 Tests, he has aggregated 885 runs, tallying five fifties and a hundred.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all know Washi started as a batter. He was an opener in age-group cricket. He has performed in Test cricket in almost all conditions\u2014in Australia, in India and in England.\u00a0What he has is exceptional timing. He always has an extra second while batting against pace. This has always been the case with him,\u201d said Sundar.<\/p>\n
Washington\u2019s international credentials were central to the Titans\u2019 choice in entrusting him with the crucial middle-order role, as explained by the team\u2019s assistant coach Vijay Dahiya.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs somebody who is a part of the Indian team, he knows what to do. When you come here, you come with a different mindset. At this stage, it\u2019s more of a touch-up sort of thing. We always know what some of these boys are capable of. And they deliver when it matters the most,\u201d said Dahiya in a press conference.<\/p>\n
With his eye-catching batting outings in IPL 2026, Washington is pushing his case to be a regular for India in the shorter formats, too. Sundar, though, believes his son hasn\u2019t fully unlocked his full potential with the bat in T20 cricket.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn terms of modern batting, there is one thing he is lacking. He doesn\u2019t move his back leg across to the middle\/off stump. Without this, it is hard to generate extra power in your shots. I have tried to convince him to adopt this, but he hasn\u2019t fully grasped it. Once he does that, it will unlock a new level of big-hitting for him,\u201d explains Sundar.<\/p>\n
Washington\u2019s enhanced role this season stands in contrast with his limited presence in IPL 2025, when he played just six games. It came to a point where Sundar was forced into telling his son the hard truth.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 2025 season was a huge disappointment. Despite being a properly established international cricketer, GT didn\u2019t use him properly. I actually told him to come out of GT. But that didn\u2019t happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Washington has made huge ground as a batter in IPL 2026, his presence as a bowler has been limited. The off-spinner has been deployed in just four innings, bowling just 43 deliveries. Sundar believes this is a gross under-utilisation of Washington\u2019s abilities.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven now, I am not at all satisfied with how they are using him as a bowler. He hasn\u2019t finished his bowling quota even once this season. Against Rajasthan Royals, he gave away just 10 runs from two overs. Even then, he wasn\u2019t allowed to complete his spell. As a bowler, he has so much more to offer. Teams have to start realising that,\u201d adds Sundar.<\/p>\n
Published on May 14, 2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n