IND vs AFG: Gautam Gambhir confirms Sai Sudharsan as India's no. 3 over Devdutt Padikkal

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir revealed Sai Sudharsan as the new number three for India in Tests over Devdutt Padikkal. Sai will continue to bat in his usual position after brief exploits in England and against the West Indies and South Africa during the home series last year. The left-hander is coming off a brilliant IPL 2026 with the bat, scoring 722 runs in 17 matches, including a hundred. In the whites, Sudharsan has played six Tests, scoring 302 runs, with two fifties to his name. While he played three of those Tests on the England tour, Sai registered 7, 87, 39, 15, and 14 in the remaining five innings at home.

With the one-off Test against Afghanistan on the horizon, Gambhir has backed the Gujarat Titans' opener to continue in his role, promising him an extended run at that position.

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“Sai Sudharsan has not got a fair chance. He has only played a handful of Test matches. And he started his Test career in England, which we all know is not the easiest place (for batters). He has had a phenomenal run in the IPL as well, and we have got to give him a fair chance,” Gambhir said to reporters on the eve of the one-off Test against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh.

Coach explains why Padikkal has to wait

Granting a longer rope to Sai at number three means another contender for that spot, Devdutt Padikkal, might have to wait longer for his chances. Gambhir explained that although only one player (of the two) can play at that position, it’s Sai for now, and Padikkal should be patient for his turn.

Explaining the reason behind choosing Sai over Padikkal, Gambhir said, “We can (only) pick 11 (players), and some will have to wait for an opportunity. Sai is not in bad form either. He scored, what, 700 runs in IPL. If judging players by just four or five matches is good enough, then I feel we will never be able to build something.

“Hopefully (Padikkal) will get his time. Whenever his time comes, we will give him a fair run as well. It is not about giving someone five Tests and someone else one Test. If we give someone a fair run, we will give the other guy an opportunity whenever it comes up. At the moment, we need to give Sai a fair run. He is a world-class player, and I am sure he will come good,” he added.

Moreover, since ICC rules dictate that for a series to fall under the ongoing WTC cycle, it must have at least two Test matches, this one-off Test between India and Afghanistan is a stand-alone match, with its result not impacting the Indian Team's WTC standings.