Writing Our Own Story: Sai Sudharsan Reframes Intense India A Competition as Personal Growth

Sai Sudharsan has returned to competitive cricket following a toe injury that ruled him out of India’s two-match Test series in Sri Lanka, during which he relinquished his number three position to Devdutt Padikkal. The 24-year-old batter marked his comeback in India A’s inaugural four-day fixture against Australia A at Puducherry on October 6, 2026, scoring a half-century.

In the second four-day contest, he registered scores of 8 and 12 as India A pressed ahead with its preparations for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The Australia A tour, consisting of two first-class and three List A matches, offers India A a valuable opportunity to refine its strategy against high-quality opposition.

Sudharsan addressed his mindset within an India A squad populated by players with significant senior international experience. The lineup includes captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar and Sudharsan himself, all of whom have represented India at the highest level.

The top-order mix is further strengthened by Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh and Arshin Kulkarni, fostering a competitive atmosphere for opening and middle-order roles. Rather than viewing this as a direct contest for selection, Sudharsan has adopted a perspective centred on personal growth and on-field performance.

“I feel mentally we have to understand that we are all writing our own story rather than playing against each other. Having trust and belief in ourselves and divine timing will make everything pan out fantastically well,” said Sudharsan as quoted by Cricinfo.

“I don’t think I am looking at finding a place anywhere. I have always been opening in 50-over cricket and T20 cricket. So, I look at it that way and try to give my best and perform so that the team wins from a good position. That’s what I’m focused on,” he added.

The intensity and value of A-team cricket

The intensity and value of A-team cricket became evident as Sudharsan highlighted the Australia A tour’s role in preparation for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India A head coach L Balaji has emphasised how shadow tours help fine-tune batting, bowling and decision-making across formats.

“The intensity on A tours is almost on par with international cricket. As Bala Sir [India A head coach L Balaji] said, shadow tours help fine-tune our batting, bowling, and decision-making continuously. With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy coming up in a few months, these multi-day A games help us understand how pitches behave and how Australian culture operates. Tomorrow’s game will feel like a proper international match,” said Sudharsan.

The BCCI’s scheduling of multiple teams across different locations underscored the depth of India’s cricket structure during this period.

“Four teams were competing simultaneously – Rest of India in Srinagar, India A in Pondicherry, the main [ODI] team in the West Indies, and another in the Asian Games. It’s good to have healthy competition. Players have space to work across three formats. The mindset should be to make the most of these ample opportunities, and those performing are getting their due,” said Balaji.

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