Sai Sudharsan Embraces Competition, Focuses on Personal Growth

After missing the two-match Test series in Sri Lanka due to a toe injury, B. Sai Sudharsan lost the No. 3 batting position to Devdutt Padikkal. Yet the 24‑year‑old remains unfazed by the rivalry for spots and is committed to forging his own path. He said, “Mentally we must realise we are each writing our own story, not competing against one another.” He added, “Trust in ourselves and faith in divine timing will let everything fall into place beautifully.”

Sai Sudharsan is a specialist opener for Tamil Nadu in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL. It remains uncertain whether he will secure a top‑order spot in the upcoming one‑day series against Australia A in Puducherry.

Apart from Sai Sudharsan, Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Devdutt Padikkal and Arshin Kulkarni are also vying for top‑order places. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad is expected to bat at No. 4, a role he recently filled for the senior side in the ODIs versus the West Indies.

He said, “I’m not chasing a particular slot. I have always opened in 50‑over and T20 cricket, so I approach it that way—give my best, help the team start strong, and let victories follow.”

Sai Sudharsan marked his comeback from injury with a steady half‑century on a variable pitch in the first four‑day match last month, followed by scores of 8 and 12 in the second. Now he is keen to evaluate his white‑ball abilities against an Australia A squad that contains several internationals. He remarked, “The intensity of A‑team tours rivals that of international cricket.” He quoted coach L. Balaji (Bala Sir): “Shadow tours continually sharpen batting, bowling and decision‑making.” With the Border‑Gavaskar Trophy a few months away, these multi‑day A games help the squad gauge pitch behaviour and absorb Australian conditions. “Tomorrow’s contest will feel like a genuine international encounter,” he added.

Balaji, the India A head coach for this series and the bowling coach at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, praised India’s depth.

“Four teams were active at once—Rest of India in Srinagar, India A in Pondicherry, the main ODI side in the West Indies, and another contingent at the Asian Games,” Balaji said. “Healthy competition is beneficial. Players get room to operate across all three formats. The aim is to maximise these plentiful opportunities, and those who perform earn their recognition.”

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