It was a memorable Wednesday (December 13) for Tamil Nadu's teenager Washington Sundar as he made his India One Day International debut, against Sri Lanka in Mohali.
The 18-year-old Sundar was handed the India blue cap by head coach Ravi Shastri ahead of the second match of the ongoing three-match series. The hosts lost the opening contest in Dharamsala.
It was a lucky call-up to the squad for Sundar, who replaced batsman Kedar Jadhav ahead of the first ODI. Jadhav got injured and the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) selectors picked Sundar. The Tamil Nadu boy was already named in the Twenty20 Interntional squad earlier.
Many had expected Sundar to make his international debut in the shortest format of the game but Jadhav's injury earned him 50-over ticket to don the blue jersey.
Now, Sundar (18 years and 69 days) has joined an elite list of Indian cricketers to have made international debut at a very young age.
Sundar was born on October 5, 1999. He has so far played 12 first-class matches, 9 List A (50 overs) and 11 Twenty20s. He impressed in this year's Indian Premier League (IPL) for Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS).
Sundar, who bats left-handed and bowls off-spin, is the seventh youngest to play ODIs for India. The youngest is batting legend Sachin Tendulkar.
Tendulkar made his India ODI debut at the age of 16 years and 238 days. He played his first 50-over international against Pakistan in Gujranwala on December 18, 1989. He was out for a two-ball duck, caught by Wasim Akram off Waqar Younis.
Sundar surpassed leg-spinner Piyush Chawla in the youngest Indian ODI debutants list. Chawla won his ODI cap at the age of 18 years and 139 days.
Youngest debutants for India in ODIs (Top 10)
1. Sachin Tendulkar - 16 years, 238 days
2. Maninder Singh - 17 years, 222 days
3. Harbhajan Singh - 17 years, 288 days
4. Parthiv Patel - 17 years, 301 days
5. Laxmi Ratan Shukla - 17 years, 320 days
6. Chetan Sharma - 17 years, 338 days
7. Washington Sundar - 18 years, 69 days
8. Piyush Chawla - 18 years, 139 days
9. Suresh Raina - 18 years, 245 days
10. Yuvraj Singh - 18 years, 296 days
