All of 18, Washington Sundar says an unflinching belief in his game has helped him break into the Indian team.
Not so long ago Washington flunked the Yo-Yo test, which has to be cleared to make it to the national team, but the youngster didn't work up and worked even hard on his fitness to clear the test on his second attempt, paving the path for his selection to the Indian team.
"For any cricketer, playing for India is the ultimate dream. As an 18-year-old, I have got the opportunity to play for India and it is a great feeling. I trust a lot in my preparation and it has paid off."
Washington first made the T20 team for the upcoming T20 series against Sri Lanka before being named a last minute replacement for the injured Kedar Jadhav in the ongoing three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka.
Washington, who bowls off-spin and bats left-handed, revealed that he is relishing his time in the Indian dressing room after he was called in to replace the injured Kedar Jadhav.
"It has been my fourth day to be precise but I do not feel that I just became part of the team. I knew lot of players before, have played with Mahi bhai (Mahendra Singh Dhoni) in the IPL. They all made me feel at home," said Washington, on the eve of the second ODI against Sri Lanka in Mohali on Wednesday.
Sundar attracted attention of the selectors with his performances in the Indian Premier League this year, helping Dhoni-led Pune Supergiants reach the final.
But Washington found that it was not enough to play for India, so he worked harder on all aspects of his game.
"I went back, prepared a lot, trained a lot on aspects, where I needed to. It paid off. I started bowling more and spent extra time on my batting. And fitness also as you know it has become a very important aspect of this Indian team," said the Tamil Nadu all-rounder, who made his first-class debut last year before playing his first List A game this March.
Talking about his role in the Indian team, Washington knows he has to perform both with bat and ball whenever he gets an opportunity.
“I would definitely have to be ready to bowl 10 overs of off spin and contribute with the bat no matter what position the team is in."
