Washington Sundar will have a ‘homecoming’, he has already made a splash on the pitch of Old Trafford, the spinner has an old relationship with Manchester!

New Delhi. The second T20 between India and England is to be played at the historic Emirates Old Trafford ground in Manchester. This ground in Manchester is not only a stronghold of English cricket, but is also deeply associated with the glorious history of Indian cricket and the memories of its rising stars. When Team India steps on this ground, all eyes will be on all-rounder Washington Sundar, who made this ground his ‘home ground’ while playing for Lancashire County Cricket Club.

This match is not just a clash of two global superpowers, but a great opportunity for Sundar to refresh his old memories and for the Indian fans to relive the historic association between Lancashire and India.

Washington Sundar’s ‘homecoming’ in Manchester

Washington Sundar had signed a contract with Lancashire County Cricket Club in the year 2022. He had performed brilliantly in county cricket and the Royal London One-Day Cup in front of the home crowd on the same ground of Old Trafford. Sundar created a stir by taking 5 wickets against Northamptonshire in his very first county match. Apart from this, Sundar has also made significant contributions at the international level at Old Trafford, which includes a fighting Test century. Sundar is very well aware of the pitch of this ground, the direction of the wind and the shape of the boundary. The experience he has of playing for Lancashire can prove to be a secret weapon (X-Factor) for the Indian team in this second T20 match.

The thrill and equation of the second T20 match

The first T20 match of India’s tour of England (2026) was no result due to rain in Chester-le-Street. In such a situation, this second match of Manchester has become very decisive for both the teams in terms of taking lead in this 5-match series. The Old Trafford pitch traditionally provides little support to spin bowlers. Washington Sundar’s off-spin bowling and ability to stop runs in the powerplay will be very useful in Team India led by Indian captain Shreyas Iyer and vice-captain Tilak Verma.

Along with this, the improvement that Sundar has made in his aggressive batting while playing in the middle order for Gujarat Titans in recent times will give depth to the team. On the other hand, the host England team, captained by Harry Brook, is ready to give a tough challenge to India on its home ground.

Historical connection between Lancashire and Indian players

The relationship between Lancashire County Cricket Club and Indian cricket is decades old and extremely rich. The list of Indian legends who have represented the Red Roses at Emirates Old Trafford is long and impressive: Farooq Engineer: the first Indian to join Lancashire in 1968, earning him the status of a homegrown legend for the club. Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman: These two greats of Indian cricket also showed their class in English conditions by wearing the Lancashire jersey in the County Championship. Venkatesh Iyer and Washington Sundar: Taking this historical legacy forward, these modern-day all-rounders have performed brilliantly for the club.