Kanitkar lavishes praise on Washington after India call-up

Washington saw his stock as an allrounder rise exponentially during this year’s Indian Premier League when he featured in 11 of Rising Pune Supergiant’s 14 matches and ended up with a rich haul of 11 wickets at a creditable economy rate of 6.16. The offspinner proved that was no flash in the pan as he claimed 11 wickets in the final of this year’s Duleep Trophy to enable his team India Red beat India Blue. Washington, earlier, was a part of the Board President’s XI in the tour game against the visiting Australian team at Chepauk. He showed he wasn’t unnerved by the occasion as he foxed the dangerous Glenn Maxwell and accounted for the coveted scalp of the captain Steve Smith himself. 

If not for his failure to clear the yo-yo test at the first time of asking at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, Washington would have had a taste of international action against Australia in October. 

Shrugging off that disappointment, Washington represented Tamil Nadu in all its Ranji matches and slammed a majestic 159 as an opener against Tripura. As someone who has observed him evolve at close quarters, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, the coach of Tamil Nadu, said he wasn’t surprised by the news of Washington’s inclusion in the Indian team. “He deserves this call-up. He has tremendous potential and amply exhibited his talent on several occasions and under pressure situations. I’m sure he will do a brilliant job,” praised Kanitkar. Kanitkar also dispelled any prevailing doubts about Washington being stereotyped as a T20 specialist. “He is cut out for a long and rewarding career in all three formats. He is a keen student and is always willing to learn to keep himself at the top of his game. His stellar efforts in this year’s IPL bear this out,” added Kanitkar.