Washington Sundar said he felt 'blessed' to be an all-rounder after playing a pivotal role in India's six-wicket victory over England in the opening ODI at Edgbaston, Birmingham on 15 July, handing the visitors a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The 26-year-old struck an unbeaten 52 — his maiden ODI half-century — and argued that the presence of multiple all-rounders gives any side a decisive tactical edge across varying conditions.

Sundar and Axar's match-winning partnership

With India briefly under pressure after KL Rahul's dismissal, Sundar joined Axar Patel in the middle and the two forged an unbroken 102-run fifth-wicket stand to guide the chase home at 262/4. Axar had earlier claimed 4 for 62 to help dismiss England for 258, making him the decisive force in both innings. 'The way he batted was magical. It was great for me to watch from the other end,' Sundar said at the post-match press conference.

Sundar on the value of all-rounders

Reflecting on his dual role, Sundar underlined how all-rounders allow teams to adapt to any surface or format. 'Such a blessing for me to be an all-rounder. Any team would love to have as many all-rounders as possible, because you can play according to the conditions and it's always nice to have different varieties. You'll never think you're short in options, especially going in any conditions. We play a lot of cricket around the world, so the conditions are quite different,' he said. He added that the collective contributions of all-rounders — including Shivam Dube, who bowled impressively — were central to the win.

Gurnoor Brar's character under pressure

Sundar reserved special praise for fast bowler Gurnoor Brar, who recovered from an expensive opening spell to remove England openers Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell in the same over, triggering a collapse. 'With Gurnoor, you can always expect character. I've been seeing him quite closely in the last couple of years, even with GT. He shows a lot of heart and character. No matter what, he always runs in hard every single ball,' Sundar said. He noted that Brar's attitude in practice sessions — even when not in the playing XI — reflects the temperament that delivers in pressure moments.

Reading the conditions at Edgbaston

Sundar acknowledged that the Edgbaston pitch offered assistance to seamers during the chase, making the eventual win more meritorious than the scoreline suggested. He credited captain Shubman Gill for reading the conditions astutely and building a crucial partnership before the lower order took over. 'It wasn't that easy as he actually made it look like. But yes, there was a little bit on the wicket. And we applied really well, and I'm happy to have won this game,' Sundar said.

What's next for India

With their all-round depth on full display in the series opener, India will look to carry the same balance into the second ODI as they target a series-clinching result. Sundar's maiden half-century and Axar's match-winning double act have reinforced the case for a batting order that goes deep without compromising on bowling options.