No Rohit Sharma, no Virat Kohli, but Washington Sundar says India found ‘exciting’ identity: ‘Exactly the kind of team…’

India's 2-2 series draw in England over the course of five hotly contested Test matches was an examination of character and nerves as much as quality of cricket. With all five matches going down to the wire, it was a memorable series, but one which forced members of the Indian team to turn up in crucial moments. Washington Sundar celebrates a wicket with Indian captian Shubman Gill.(Action Images via Reuters)

With this being new captain Shubman Gill's first series, the much-publicised absence of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin meant it was a young and relatively inexperienced squad, especially in English conditions. Washington Sundar spoke about how the youth of the team as a whole allowed a lot of strong bonds to be formed over the course of the summer, aiding in pushing the team through on that dramatic final day at the Oval.

“Truly, just the way the whole dressing room and the atmosphere was created, it was fabulous, it’s an amazing atmosphere and a space to be a part of because we are all quite young and that’s extremely exciting,” said Sundar in an interview with Wisden.

“Coming into the series, we knew for a fact that all of us would have to put our hands up and step up in different situations. And end of the series, when we look back, that’s exactly what we have done,” continued the all-rounder.

Sundar commends teammates on being willing to take responsibility

India's ability to bounce back from difficult losses at Edgbaston and Lord's was truly commendable, as Gill and his young team were able to bounce back from those situations to pick up two impressive wins and level the series. Sundar felt the important part was that several members of the team were able to put their hands up and come through in key moments.

“There were so many individuals throughout the series who stepped up and won the situations and eventually won games for the team,” said Sundar about his teammates. “And this is exactly the kind of team that we have always wanted to be in and we were in this series, and we have created some amazing bonds on and off the field.”

All in all, the new-look Indian team under Shubman Gill’s fresh captaincy can definitely label its first attempt at an overseas tour a success, as eras transition for the red ball unit. The hope will be to use these bonds and create a unit that will be able to find consistency across the board, in not just performances but results.

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