Devdutt Padikkal has made a compelling case for India’s Test number three spot following a sensational 199 against New Zealand A in the ongoing 1st unofficial Test in Lincoln. Padikkal led India A's charge on the third day of this four-day game, stitching a 215-run stand with Sai Sudharsan for the third wicket. Later, he added another 124 runs for the fifth wicket with uncapped Yash Rathod before falling on 199 to a controversial umpiring decision. &nbsp;Trailing by 204 in the first innings, India A scored 488 for eight at stumps with one day of play left, leading by 284 runs.&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-nz-ishan-kishan-ruled-out-of-wellington-t20i-1792996723686">IND vs NZ: Ishan Kishan ruled out of Wellington T20I</a> &nbsp;Padikkal kept his composure and played brilliant cricket to revive India A after they were reduced to 10 for two late on the second day. The left-hander carried his international form seamlessly into the red-ball fixture. With 199 in the second innings, he has pressed his case ahead of fellow contender Sudharsan for the number three spot in India’s Test team for the New Zealand series.&nbsp;WATCH Padikkal's Dismissal -

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The double ton was within touching distance… 💔 

Devdutt Padikkal was left stunned after being given out on 199 following a disputed decision in the India A vs New Zealand A Test. 

Watch #NZAvINDA 1st Day 4 TOMORROW, 3:30 AM onwards, LIVE on Sony Sports Ten 1 &amp; Sony LIV.

#SonySportsNetwork #SonyLIV&mdash; Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) <a href="https://x.com/SonySportsNetwk/status/2114697603925586238?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Padikkal brought up his hundred by smashing an overhead six off Jayden Lennox in 128 balls. He played 248 balls, hitting three sixes and 24 fours in his marathon outing, making headlines all over.&nbsp; &nbsp;Sudharsan, who returned to the red-ball setup after missing the away Sri Lanka Tests with a hamstring injury, also impressed with a gritty 91 off 184 balls, hitting 12 fours. &nbsp;Meanwhile, Rathod, India’s top scorer with 44 in the first innings, completed his fifty (66) in the second before nicking one to part-timer Dean Foxcroft while attempting a cut shot.&nbsp; &nbsp;India’s lower order contributed too, with Washington Sundar remaining unbeaten at 51 off 75 balls and seamers Anshul Kamboj (23) and Auqib Nabi (38) contributing with the bat.&nbsp; &nbsp;India A were dismissed for 113 in the first innings, with openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal failing to fire. Padikkal scored 32 in the first innings, while Sudharsan departed on a 13-ball duck.

Devdutt Padikkal hit a stunning 199 to lead India A's fightback against New Zealand A, strengthening his claim for the No. 3 spot in India's Test side.

Devdutt Padikkal has made a compelling case for India’s Test number three spot following a sensational 199 against New Zealand A in the ongoing 1st unofficial Test in Lincoln. Padikkal led India A's charge on the third day of this four-day game, stitching a 215-run stand with Sai Sudharsan for the third wicket. Later, he added another 124 runs for the fifth wicket with uncapped Yash Rathod before falling on 199 to a controversial umpiring decision. Trailing by 204 in the first innings, India A scored 488 for eight at stumps with one day of play left, leading by 284 runs. Also read| IND vs NZ: Ishan Kishan ruled out of Wellington T20I Padikkal kept his composure and played brilliant cricket to revive India A after they were reduced to 10 for two late on the second day. The left-hander carried his international form seamlessly into the red-ball fixture. With 199 in the second innings, he has pressed his case ahead of fellow contender Sudharsan for the number three spot in India’s Test team for the New Zealand series. WATCH Padikkal's Dismissal -

Devdutt Padikkal hit a stunning 199 to lead India A's fightback against New Zealand A, strengthening his claim for the No. 3 spot in India's Test side.

Devdutt Padikkal 199 puts India A ahead by 284; presses claim for Test no. 3 spot

A listless batting performance by India A on day one of the first unofficial Test against New Zealand A brought back familiar batting blues. Test openers KL Rahul (0) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (17), alongside Sai Sudharsan (0) and captain Dhruv Jurel (1), failed to leave a mark in Lincoln as the visitors were skittled out for just 113 in the first innings. Uncapped Yash Rathod top-scored with an unbeaten 44, while in-form Devdutt Padikkal scored a gritty 32 off 77 balls batting at number three. &nbsp;The hosts won the toss and asked India A to bat first, with Rahul departing inside the first 15 minutes for an eight-ball duck, caught behind off Fraser Sheat. The two left-handers, Jaiswal and Padikkal, added 30 runs for the second wicket before Jaiswal was caught for 17 from 45 deliveries.&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-nz-kumar-kushagra-named-as-cover-for-ishan-kishan-in-india-s-t20i-squad-1792772437310">IND vs NZ: Kumar Kushagra named as cover for Ishan Kishan in India’s T20I squad</a> &nbsp;Sai Sudharsan, who was making his comeback to red-ball cricket after being left out of the recent Sri Lanka tour due to a hamstring injury, was dismissed for a 13-ball duck before the hosts sent back India A captain Jurel on 1. Padikkal, who looked comfortable in these challenging conditions, departed soon after, with India A reeling at 56 for five inside 29 overs. To make things worse, another Test regular and all-rounder, Washington Sundar, was the third batter to depart for a duck, leaving India A in all sorts of trouble. &nbsp;Vidarbha batter Rathod stood tall at one end, striking boundaries to keep India A afloat in the first innings. However, with no support from the other end, as the wickets kept tumbling, Rathod remained unbeaten for 44, but India A were all out for just 113 in 39.3 overs.&nbsp;WATCH India A Fall of Wickets -

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All four seamers picked up the 10 wickets for New Zealand A, with Simon Keene returning with 5/24 and Zak Gibson with 3/29.

India A skittled for 113 on Day 1 of 1st unofficial Test vs NZ A in Lincoln. KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan score ducks as Simon Keene takes 5/24.

A listless batting performance by India A on day one of the first unofficial Test against New Zealand A brought back familiar batting blues. Test openers KL Rahul (0) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (17), alongside Sai Sudharsan (0) and captain Dhruv Jurel (1), failed to leave a mark in Lincoln as the visitors were skittled out for just 113 in the first innings. Uncapped Yash Rathod top-scored with an unbeaten 44, while in-form Devdutt Padikkal scored a gritty 32 off 77 balls batting at number three. The hosts won the toss and asked India A to bat first, with Rahul departing inside the first 15 minutes for an eight-ball duck, caught behind off Fraser Sheat. The two left-handers, Jaiswal and Padikkal, added 30 runs for the second wicket before Jaiswal was caught for 17 from 45 deliveries. Also read| IND vs NZ: Kumar Kushagra named as cover for Ishan Kishan in India’s T20I squad Sai Sudharsan, who was making his comeback to red-ball cricket after being left out of the recent Sri Lanka tour due to a hamstring injury, was dismissed for a 13-ball duck before the hosts sent back India A captain Jurel on 1. Padikkal, who looked comfortable in these challenging conditions, departed soon after, with India A reeling at 56 for five inside 29 overs. To make things worse, another Test regular and all-rounder, Washington Sundar, was the third batter to depart for a duck, leaving India A in all sorts of trouble. Vidarbha batter Rathod stood tall at one end, striking boundaries to keep India A afloat in the first innings. However, with no support from the other end, as the wickets kept tumbling, Rathod remained unbeaten for 44, but India A were all out for just 113 in 39.3 overs. WATCH India A Fall of Wickets -

India A skittled for 113 on Day 1 of 1st unofficial Test vs NZ A in Lincoln. KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan score ducks as Simon Keene takes 5/24.

KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan score ducks as India A fold for 113 against NZ A

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has picked Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan as the replacement for injured Sai Sudharsan for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka.Sudharsan, who suffered a stress fracture in his big toe during India A’s Sri Lanka tour in Jul, has been recovering at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru but has not regained full fitness in time for the series.&nbsp;“Sai Sudharsan has been ruled out of the Test series against Sri Lanka,” BCCI said in a statement. “The left-handed batter, who has been at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru, has made significant progress in his recovery from the right toe stress reaction and is recovering well. The BCCI Medical Team is closely monitoring his progress.”&nbsp;“The Men’s Selection Committee has named Sarfaraz Khan as a replacement for Sai Sudharsan for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. He will link up with the Indian squad in Colombo before the team travels to Galle for the first Test match, starting August 15, 2026,” it added.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/those-who-play-will-flourish-pm-modi-interacts-with-india-s-cwg-medallists-1786286688262">‘Those who play, will flourish’: PM Modi interacts with India’s CWG medallists</a>&nbsp;Sarfaraz last played for India during the three-Test series against New Zealand at home in 2024, which India lost 0-3. He was one of India’s top performers in the series and scored his maiden Test century in the second match.&nbsp;However, he did not get another opportunity after that and remained on the bench throughout India’s five-Test series in Australia from Dec 2024 to Jan 2025 and was later dropped from the squad.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-a-rehab-centre-vvs-laxman-defends-bcci-coe-amid-injury-concerns-1786274226587">‘Not a rehab centre’: VVS Laxman defends BCCI CoE amid injury concerns</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;In domestic cricket, the 28-year-old has been a consistent performer for several years. In 92 First-Class innings, Sarfaraz has scored 5,114 runs at an average of 64.73, including 17 centuries and 16 fifties.&nbsp;Sheikh Rasheed were also considered for the series, but Sarfaraz’s strong record against spin is likely to have worked in his favour with the selectors.

Sarfaraz Khan has returned to India’s Test squad for the first time since the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, replacing the injured Sai Sudharsan for the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has picked Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan as the replacement for injured Sai Sudharsan for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka. Sudharsan, who suffered a stress fracture in his big toe during India A’s Sri Lanka tour in Jul, has been recovering at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru but has not regained full fitness in time for the series. “Sai Sudharsan has been ruled out of the Test series against Sri Lanka,” BCCI said in a statement. “The left-handed batter, who has been at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru, has made significant progress in his recovery from the right toe stress reaction and is recovering well. The BCCI Medical Team is closely monitoring his progress.” “The Men’s Selection Committee has named Sarfaraz Khan as a replacement for Sai Sudharsan for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. He will link up with the Indian squad in Colombo before the team travels to Galle for the first Test match, starting August 15, 2026,” it added. Also Read - ‘Those who play, will flourish’: PM Modi interacts with India’s CWG medallists Sarfaraz last played for India during the three-Test series against New Zealand at home in 2024, which India lost 0-3. He was one of India’s top performers in the series and scored his maiden Test century in the second match. However, he did not get another opportunity after that and remained on the bench throughout India’s five-Test series in Australia from Dec 2024 to Jan 2025 and was later dropped from the squad. Also Read - ‘Not a rehab centre’: VVS Laxman defends BCCI CoE amid injury concerns In domestic cricket, the 28-year-old has been a consistent performer for several years. In 92 First-Class innings, Sarfaraz has scored 5,114 runs at an average of 64.73, including 17 centuries and 16 fifties. Sheikh Rasheed were also considered for the series, but Sarfaraz’s strong record against spin is likely to have worked in his favour with the selectors.

Sarfaraz Khan has returned to India’s Test squad for the first time since the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, replacing the injured Sai Sudharsan for the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka.

IND vs SL: Sarfaraz Khan returns to India Test squad, replaces injured Sai Sudharsan

Sai Sudharsan has been ruled out of India’s upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka due to injury, adding to the team’s growing list of unavailable players ahead of an important World Test Championship (WTC) assignment. Sudharsan had become India’s preferred choice at No. 3 after making his Test debut, but his absence has now opened up a spot in the batting order and given the team management a chance to consider other options.&nbsp;Devdutt Padikkal could be one of the contenders for the position, as the left-hander strengthened his case by scoring a composed century on the second day of India’s ongoing warm-up game. His performance could put him in the race for the No.3 spot, although India still have to finalise their batting combination.<h3>More injury concerns</h3>Sudharsan is not the only Indian player to miss the Sri Lanka series due to injury. India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is also unavailable, as he picked up an injury during the ODI series against England and was later rested until Jul 30. His absence will be a major blow to India’s bowling attack, given his experience and ability to change the course of a match.&nbsp;Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar have also been ruled out of the series with injuries. The number of absentees has left the selectors and team management with fewer options as they prepare for the two Tests.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/korea-masters-2026-ashmita-chaliha-beats-rakshitha-ramraj-to-reach-final-1786180626257">Korea Masters 2026: Ashmita Chaliha beats Rakshitha Ramraj to reach final</a>&nbsp;With the first Test approaching, India still have several decisions to make, especially regarding the batting order and the overall balance of the team. Padikkal’s century in the warm-up has come at the right time and could make him a strong option for No.3.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rishabh-pant-uttarakhand-cm-pushkar-singh-dhami-land-acquisition-plea-reply-1786174320141">Rishabh Pant makes midnight plea to Uttarakhand CM over land acquisition dispute</a>&nbsp;The series is going to be important for both India and Sri Lanka in the World Test Championship standings. India are currently fifth, while Sri Lanka are sixth, making the series a chance for both teams to improve their position in the race for the 2027 WTC Final.

Sai Sudharsan has been ruled out of India’s Test series against Sri Lanka due to injury, adding to the team’s injury concerns and leaving the No. 3 spot open for the important WTC series.

Sai Sudharsan has been ruled out of India’s upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka due to injury, adding to the team’s growing list of unavailable players ahead of an important World Test Championship (WTC) assignment. Sudharsan had become India’s preferred choice at No. 3 after making his Test debut, but his absence has now opened up a spot in the batting order and given the team management a chance to consider other options. Devdutt Padikkal could be one of the contenders for the position, as the left-hander strengthened his case by scoring a composed century on the second day of India’s ongoing warm-up game. His performance could put him in the race for the No.3 spot, although India still have to finalise their batting combination. More injury concerns Sudharsan is not the only Indian player to miss the Sri Lanka series due to injury. India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is also unavailable, as he picked up an injury during the ODI series against England and was later rested until Jul 30. His absence will be a major blow to India’s bowling attack, given his experience and ability to change the course of a match. Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar have also been ruled out of the series with injuries. The number of absentees has left the selectors and team management with fewer options as they prepare for the two Tests. Also Read - Korea Masters 2026: Ashmita Chaliha beats Rakshitha Ramraj to reach final With the first Test approaching, India still have several decisions to make, especially regarding the batting order and the overall balance of the team. Padikkal’s century in the warm-up has come at the right time and could make him a strong option for No.3. Also Read - Rishabh Pant makes midnight plea to Uttarakhand CM over land acquisition dispute The series is going to be important for both India and Sri Lanka in the World Test Championship standings. India are currently fifth, while Sri Lanka are sixth, making the series a chance for both teams to improve their position in the race for the 2027 WTC Final.

Sai Sudharsan has been ruled out of India’s Test series against Sri Lanka due to injury, adding to the team’s injury concerns and leaving the No. 3 spot open for the important WTC series.

SL vs IND: Sai Sudharsan ruled out of Test series due to injury

Since Cheteshwar Pujara’s exit from India’s Test side, the two-time WTC Final runners-up have failed to find a replacement for the crucial number three spot. Even though India tried several newcomers, including Devdutt Padikkal, Sai Sudharsan, Karun Nair and even Washington Sundar, nothing has worked yet. Currently sitting sixth in the WTC standings and needing to win at least seven of the remaining nine matches in this cycle, barring this Afghanistan Test, Team India needs to address this quickly. Speaking on the same, India's assistant coach, Ryan Ten Doeschate, said the management could have done better in nailing the number three spot.&nbsp;The potent number three position is perhaps the most significant in the batting lineup, with countless legends embracing it over the years. Since Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s Test retirements, the management has made a few forced changes, including bringing Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul as openers, and pushing the newly appointed Test captain Shubman Gill at number four, leaving the number three spot vacant.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-afg-odi-series-ruturaj-gaikwad-to-replace-virat-kohli-afghanistan-odis-rcb-captain-rajat-patidar-earns-india-a-call-up-for-sri-lanka-tri-series-1780570955915">Ruturaj Gaikwad to replace Virat Kohli for Afghanistan ODIs; RCB captain Patidar earns India-A call-up</a> &nbsp;"Yeah, look, there's been a lot of changes in that spot, and that's not ideal. I think you need to look at the incumbents for that role and maybe stick with someone. It's a difficult position to bat and a very important position to bat," ten Doeschate said as Team India prepares for a one-off Test against Afghanistan starting June 6.<h3>‘Whoever plays will be given an extended run’</h3>Without spilling the beans on who could seal the number three spot in Tests between Padikkal and Sudharsan, Ryan said both are coming off tremendous tournaments. While Padikkal starred for Karnataka in the domestic, scoring heaps of runs, Sai continues to massively score for his IPL franchise, the Gujarat Titans.&nbsp; &nbsp;Ryan said that regardless of who is picked to bat at number three, the management will back the batter regardless of the lack of Tests in the upcoming months.&nbsp; &nbsp;After India hosts Afghanistan in New Chandigarh, they will travel to Sri Lanka for two Tests in August, with the next assignment against New Zealand at the end of November. &nbsp;"Dev [Devdutt Padikkal] comes in with a ton of runs in domestic cricket across all the formats, and obviously Sai's got a nice IPL with Gujarat, so they're both in good form. I think whoever plays, they'll be given a bit of rope. It's quite difficult with one Test match now, and then we don't play a Test match for another two months, and then you play two Test matches, and then you don't play for a while. &nbsp;"So, we need to factor that in, but I think the main point around is we want to make a decision and then trust that person to grow into the role and ideally quickly because where we find ourselves in the WTC table, it's obviously we don't have time to bet in now. It's probably something we could have done better leading up to this is nailing down that number 3 spot," Ryan continued.

India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate admits the management could have handled the Test number three selection better, promising an extended run for either Sai Sudharsan or Devdutt Padikkal ahead of the Afghanistan clash.

Since Cheteshwar Pujara’s exit from India’s Test side, the two-time WTC Final runners-up have failed to find a replacement for the crucial number three spot. Even though India tried several newcomers, including Devdutt Padikkal, Sai Sudharsan, Karun Nair and even Washington Sundar, nothing has worked yet. Currently sitting sixth in the WTC standings and needing to win at least seven of the remaining nine matches in this cycle, barring this Afghanistan Test, Team India needs to address this quickly. Speaking on the same, India's assistant coach, Ryan Ten Doeschate, said the management could have done better in nailing the number three spot. The potent number three position is perhaps the most significant in the batting lineup, with countless legends embracing it over the years. Since Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s Test retirements, the management has made a few forced changes, including bringing Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul as openers, and pushing the newly appointed Test captain Shubman Gill at number four, leaving the number three spot vacant. Also read | Ruturaj Gaikwad to replace Virat Kohli for Afghanistan ODIs; RCB captain Patidar earns India-A call-up "Yeah, look, there's been a lot of changes in that spot, and that's not ideal. I think you need to look at the incumbents for that role and maybe stick with someone. It's a difficult position to bat and a very important position to bat," ten Doeschate said as Team India prepares for a one-off Test against Afghanistan starting June 6. ‘Whoever plays will be given an extended run’ Without spilling the beans on who could seal the number three spot in Tests between Padikkal and Sudharsan, Ryan said both are coming off tremendous tournaments. While Padikkal starred for Karnataka in the domestic, scoring heaps of runs, Sai continues to massively score for his IPL franchise, the Gujarat Titans. Ryan said that regardless of who is picked to bat at number three, the management will back the batter regardless of the lack of Tests in the upcoming months. After India hosts Afghanistan in New Chandigarh, they will travel to Sri Lanka for two Tests in August, with the next assignment against New Zealand at the end of November. "Dev [Devdutt Padikkal] comes in with a ton of runs in domestic cricket across all the formats, and obviously Sai's got a nice IPL with Gujarat, so they're both in good form. I think whoever plays, they'll be given a bit of rope. It's quite difficult with one Test match now, and then we don't play a Test match for another two months, and then you play two Test matches, and then you don't play for a while. "So, we need to factor that in, but I think the main point around is we want to make a decision and then trust that person to grow into the role and ideally quickly because where we find ourselves in the WTC table, it's obviously we don't have time to bet in now. It's probably something we could have done better leading up to this is nailing down that number 3 spot," Ryan continued.

India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate admits the management could have handled the Test number three selection better, promising an extended run for either Sai Sudharsan or Devdutt Padikkal ahead of the Afghanistan clash.

‘Could have handled it better’: Ryan ten Doeschate on India’s number 3 Test selection

From Sai Sudharsan to Heinrich Klaasen, here's a look at the top five batters with most runs in IPL 2026. This list also includes Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

From Sai Sudharsan to Heinrich Klaasen, here's a look at the top five batters with most runs in IPL 2026. This list also includes Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

Meet top 5 batters with most runs in IPL 2026

From Sai Sudharsan to Ruturaj Gaikwad, here's a look at the top five batters fastest to 2000 runs in Indian Premier League. This list also includes Chris Gayle, Shaun Marsh and Heinrich Klaasen

From Sai Sudharsan to Ruturaj Gaikwad, here's a look at the top five batters fastest to 2000 runs in Indian Premier League. This list also includes Chris Gayle, Shaun Marsh and Heinrich Klaasen

Meet top 5 batters fastest to 2000 IPL runs

From Shaun Marsh to Lendl Simmons, here's a look at the top five batters fastest to 1000 runs in Indian Premier League. This list also includes Devon Conway, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sai Sudharsan

From Shaun Marsh to Lendl Simmons, here's a look at the top five batters fastest to 1000 runs in Indian Premier League. This list also includes Devon Conway, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sai Sudharsan

Meet top 5 batters fastest to 1,000 IPL runs

From Sai Sudharsan to Heinrich Klaasen, here's a look at the top five batters with most runs in IPL 2026 (league stage). This list also includes Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

From Sai Sudharsan to Heinrich Klaasen, here's a look at the top five batters with most runs in IPL 2026 (league stage). This list also includes Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

Meet top 5 batters with most runs in IPL 2026 (league stage)

From Shaun Marsh to Lendl Simmons, here's a look at the top five batters fastest to 1000 runs in Indian Premier League. This list also includes Devon Conway, Matthew Hayden and Sai Sudharsan

From Shaun Marsh to Lendl Simmons, here's a look at the top five batters fastest to 1000 runs in Indian Premier League. This list also includes Devon Conway, Matthew Hayden and Sai Sudharsan

Meet top 5 batters fastest to 1000 runs in Indian Premier League

Team India made wholesale changes to its Playing XI for the second Test in Guwahati as Nitish Kumar Reddy and Sai Sudharsan returned for the hosts. Injury to skipper Shubman Gill and lacklustre batting form in Kolkata were the major reasons for the overhaul as India look to gain parity in the two-match Test series. Having lost the opening Test in Kolkata by 30 runs, India trail the series 0-1 and will look to make the most of the home conditions in the second Test, which is played at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.<h2>India make wholesale changes</h2>As expected, the Indian team management decided not to take any chances with Shubman Gill, as he had already left for Mumbai to seek expert advice on his neck spasm. His exclusion meant India were left with no option to bring back Sai Sudharsan, who was benched for the Kolkata Test. The team management also showed faith in Dhruv Jurel as he continued to feature in the Playing XI.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a>&nbsp;Nitish Reddy’s inclusion came after Axar Patel was dropped from the Playing XI as India missed out on a batting all-rounder. India struggled with the pace of the game and lost wickets at regular intervals during the Kolkata Test. Reddy was initially released from the Test squad, but Gill’s injury meant he returned from the List A series against South Africa A.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-steve-smith-to-joe-root-5-active-batters-with-most-runs-in-ashes-ben-stokes-jonny-bairstow-usman-khawaja-1762275784636">From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes</a><h2>What happened at the toss?</h2>South Africa captain Temba Bavuma won the toss as luck with the coin flip yet again eluded the hosts. South Africa decided to bat first in Guwahati, as the session timings for the contest have been revised.&nbsp;India (Playing XI): KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.&nbsp;

Having lost the opening Test in Kolkata by 30 runs, India trail the series 0-1 and will look to make the most of the home conditions in the second Test, which is played at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.

Team India made wholesale changes to its Playing XI for the second Test in Guwahati as Nitish Kumar Reddy and Sai Sudharsan returned for the hosts. Injury to skipper Shubman Gill and lacklustre batting form in Kolkata were the major reasons for the overhaul as India look to gain parity in the two-match Test series. Having lost the opening Test in Kolkata by 30 runs, India trail the series 0-1 and will look to make the most of the home conditions in the second Test, which is played at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. India make wholesale changes As expected, the Indian team management decided not to take any chances with Shubman Gill, as he had already left for Mumbai to seek expert advice on his neck spasm. His exclusion meant India were left with no option to bring back Sai Sudharsan, who was benched for the Kolkata Test. The team management also showed faith in Dhruv Jurel as he continued to feature in the Playing XI. ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes Nitish Reddy’s inclusion came after Axar Patel was dropped from the Playing XI as India missed out on a batting all-rounder. India struggled with the pace of the game and lost wickets at regular intervals during the Kolkata Test. Reddy was initially released from the Test squad, but Gill’s injury meant he returned from the List A series against South Africa A. ALSO READ | From Steve Smith to Joe Root, 5 active batters with most runs in Ashes What happened at the toss? South Africa captain Temba Bavuma won the toss as luck with the coin flip yet again eluded the hosts. South Africa decided to bat first in Guwahati, as the session timings for the contest have been revised. India (Playing XI): KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

Having lost the opening Test in Kolkata by 30 runs, India trail the series 0-1 and will look to make the most of the home conditions in the second Test, which is played at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.

IND vs SA: Nitish Kumar Reddy, Sai Sudharsan return as Rishabh Pant leads India in Guwahati Test

India batter Sai Sudharsan has lauded backing by head coach Gautam Gambhir during his initial introduction to the Test cricket. Sai made his debut under new skipper Shubman Gill in England but was out for duck in his first innings. His rest of the series didn't well either as he managed only 140 runs in 7 innings at an average of 23.33 with just one fifty to his name. The batter was included in the West Indies home Test series despite England failures and eventually came good after underwhelming performance in Ahmedabad Test.<h2>Sai Sudharsan lauds Gambhir's backing</h2>"GG [Gambhir] sir called me (after net session before second Test) and said, 'You are not getting desperate. You are one of the best players in the country. So do not think about any of the other things. Don't think that you have to score runs in this game or what will happen if you don't'," the batter said from Bengaluru, as reported by ESPNCricinfo, where he'll be vice-captain in upcoming India A matches against South Africa.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-1stt20i-suryakumar-becomes-second-indian-to-hit-150-t20i-sixes-after-rohit-1761734695839">IND vs AUS, 1st T20I: SKY second Indian to achieve THIS milestone after Rohit</a>"He told me, 'You will play.' The way he said that gave me so much confidence and freedom. I was trying to be more free and not think about external factors or the magnitude of things. But when you hear it from the head coach himself, the perspective and environment change drastically," the batter added.<h2>Sudharsan's rise in international cricket</h2>With Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Rohit Sharma retired along with Ajinkya Rahane sidelined, Sudharsan was seen as one of the batters to plug the middle-order hole. After his not so great debut series in England and the first Test at home against West Indies, he came good in the second Test in Delhi.The batter scored 87 in the first innings in Delhi Test before scoring 39 in the second innings. He is expected to play in the upcoming home Test series against South Africa as well before the focus turns to white-ball, especially T20Is, with next year's World Cup in eyesight.

With Kohli, Pujara, and Rohit Sharma retired along with  Rahane sidelined, Sudharsan was seen as one of the batters to plug the middle-order hole. After his not so great debut series in England and the first Test at home against West Indies, he came good in the second Test in Delhi.

India batter Sai Sudharsan has lauded backing by head coach Gautam Gambhir during his initial introduction to the Test cricket. Sai made his debut under new skipper Shubman Gill in England but was out for duck in his first innings. His rest of the series didn't well either as he managed only 140 runs in 7 innings at an average of 23.33 with just one fifty to his name. The batter was included in the West Indies home Test series despite England failures and eventually came good after underwhelming performance in Ahmedabad Test. Sai Sudharsan lauds Gambhir's backing "GG [Gambhir] sir called me (after net session before second Test) and said, 'You are not getting desperate. You are one of the best players in the country. So do not think about any of the other things. Don't think that you have to score runs in this game or what will happen if you don't'," the batter said from Bengaluru, as reported by ESPNCricinfo, where he'll be vice-captain in upcoming India A matches against South Africa. Also Read - IND vs AUS, 1st T20I: SKY second Indian to achieve THIS milestone after Rohit "He told me, 'You will play.' The way he said that gave me so much confidence and freedom. I was trying to be more free and not think about external factors or the magnitude of things. But when you hear it from the head coach himself, the perspective and environment change drastically," the batter added. Sudharsan's rise in international cricket With Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Rohit Sharma retired along with Ajinkya Rahane sidelined, Sudharsan was seen as one of the batters to plug the middle-order hole. After his not so great debut series in England and the first Test at home against West Indies, he came good in the second Test in Delhi. The batter scored 87 in the first innings in Delhi Test before scoring 39 in the second innings. He is expected to play in the upcoming home Test series against South Africa as well before the focus turns to white-ball, especially T20Is, with next year's World Cup in eyesight.

With Kohli, Pujara, and Rohit Sharma retired along with &nbsp;Rahane sidelined, Sudharsan was seen as one of the batters to plug the middle-order hole. After his not so great debut series in England and the first Test at home against West Indies, he came good in the second Test in Delhi.

Sai Sudharsan lauds Gambhir's backing, says coach told him 'don't think that you have to score runs' before Delhi Test vs WI

An injury scare has cramped the Indian camp during the ongoing second Test against the West Indies. Indian batter Sai Sudharsan will remain unavailable for fielding on day three at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi due to an impact injury he suffered the previous day. The good news, however, is that his injury isn’t serious and he is doing fine.&nbsp;While fielding at the forward short-leg on day two, Sai picked up the injury while grabbing a stunner off Ravindra Jadeja’s bowling to remove John Campbell. The big West Indian opener smashed a slog sweep that first hit Sai’s helmet grille before getting lodged into his arms. The instance happened in the eighth over of WI’s first innings after the hosts declared on 518 for five. Sai also remained unavailable for fielding for the remainder of the 35 overs bowled that day.&nbsp;WATCH VIDEO -

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">𝙄.𝘾.𝙔.𝙈.𝙄 Good bowling 🤝 Sharp fielding Ravindra Jadeja led <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a>&#39;s charge today with the ball 🔥 Updates ▶ <a href="https://t.co/GYLslRzj4G">https://t.co/GYLslRzj4G</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvWI</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/IDFCFIRSTBank?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IDFCFIRSTBank</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/imjadeja?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imjadeja</a> <a href="https://t.co/vrkGka7Pm7">pic.twitter.com/vrkGka7Pm7</a>&mdash; BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1976971525363581171?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"He continues to be monitored by the BCCI medical team," A BCCI media statement on Sunday (Oct 12) read.&nbsp; &nbsp;There, however, was no mention of his batting update - at his No. 3 spot should Team India decide to bat after wrapping up West Indies’ first innings.&nbsp;&nbsp;Earlier, during the first innings, Sai made handy contributions with the bat, scoring 87 off 165 balls, hitting 12 fours. The left-hander put on a 193-run stand for the second wicket with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who hit a masterful 175. He got out to Jomel Warrican trapped in the middle of the wicket in the 69th over.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-head-coach-gautam-gambhir-breaks-silence-on-darkest-test-chapter-new-zealand-series-loss-1760246984383">Coach Gambhir breaks silence on one of India's darkest Test chapters, says ‘we need to keep reminding...’</a>&nbsp;Meanwhile, Jaiswal and captain Shubman Gill’s record hundreds helped India post a massive first-inning total.<h3>WI Innings in trouble</h3>Unsurprisingly, the visitors are in a tough spot in reply to India’s first-inning score. After a shaky start, the top order tried saving the day with little contributions but failed to, as India removed their four batters before the stumps on day two.&nbsp; &nbsp;Come day three, Kuldeep Yadav wreaked havoc, with three quick wickets inside the first half an hour, reducing them to 175 for eight.

Team India remains on top on day three of the ongoing second Test against the West Indies.

An injury scare has cramped the Indian camp during the ongoing second Test against the West Indies. Indian batter Sai Sudharsan will remain unavailable for fielding on day three at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi due to an impact injury he suffered the previous day. The good news, however, is that his injury isn’t serious and he is doing fine. While fielding at the forward short-leg on day two, Sai picked up the injury while grabbing a stunner off Ravindra Jadeja’s bowling to remove John Campbell. The big West Indian opener smashed a slog sweep that first hit Sai’s helmet grille before getting lodged into his arms. The instance happened in the eighth over of WI’s first innings after the hosts declared on 518 for five. Sai also remained unavailable for fielding for the remainder of the 35 overs bowled that day. WATCH VIDEO -

Team India remains on top on day three of the ongoing second Test against the West Indies.

IND vs WI 2nd Test: Key Indian batter out with injury on day three in Delhi

KL Rahul marked his return to long-form cricket with an outstanding knock of 176*, guiding India A to a five-wicket win over Australia A in the second unofficial Test being played at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Friday (September 26). His 210-ball innings, which included 16 boundaries and four sixes, led the team to successfully chase down 412—setting a new record for the highest successful chase by an 'A' team.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-2025-super-four-who-will-win-between-india-vs-sri-lanka-match-prediction-and-five-key-players-to-watch-out-for-1758875954761">Asia Cup 2025, Super Four - Who will win between India vs Sri Lanka: Match prediction and five key players to watch out for</a>&nbsp;On Day 4, with India A needing 243 more runs for the win, Australia A struck early by dismissing nightwatchman Manav Suthar. Rahul, who had retired hurt the day before, resumed his innings with Sai Sudharsan, who soon reached his half-century. Rahul brought up his own century after lunch, continuing his dominance as Australia’s bowlers failed to make an impact. Sudharsan reached his own hundred but fell shortly after.&nbsp;&nbsp;Dhruv Jurel, with a quick-fire 56, supported Rahul in a 115-run stand that propelled India A closer to the win. Despite Jurel’s departure, Rahul remained steady at the crease, and along with Nitish Kumar Reddy’s quick boundaries, India A completed the chase with eight balls remaining, sealing a 1-0 series win. The first match ended in a draw. For Australia, Todd Murphy was the pick of the bowler as he picked 3/114, while Corey Rocchiccioli picked up two wickets.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-2025-super-four-india-vs-sri-lanka-match-today-head-to-head-ground-stats-pitch-conditions-and-more-1758874165423">Asia Cup 2025 Super Four, India vs Sri Lanka match today: Head-to-head, ground stats, pitch conditions and more</a>&nbsp;Brief scores:Australia A: 420 &amp; 185 (Nathan McSweeny 85, Josh Philippe 50; Gurnoor Brar 3/42, Manav Suthar 3/50) lost to India A 194 &amp; 413/5 (Sai Sudharsan 100, KL Rahul 176; Todd Murphy 3/114, Corey Rocchiccioli 2/84) by five wickets.

KL Rahul's masterclass leads India A to historic chase win over Australia A; seal series

KL Rahul marked his return to long-form cricket with an outstanding knock of 176*, guiding India A to a five-wicket win over Australia A in the second unofficial Test being played at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Friday (September 26). His 210-ball innings, which included 16 boundaries and four sixes, led the team to successfully chase down 412—setting a new record for the highest successful chase by an 'A' team. Also Read: Asia Cup 2025, Super Four - Who will win between India vs Sri Lanka: Match prediction and five key players to watch out for On Day 4, with India A needing 243 more runs for the win, Australia A struck early by dismissing nightwatchman Manav Suthar. Rahul, who had retired hurt the day before, resumed his innings with Sai Sudharsan, who soon reached his half-century. Rahul brought up his own century after lunch, continuing his dominance as Australia’s bowlers failed to make an impact. Sudharsan reached his own hundred but fell shortly after. Dhruv Jurel, with a quick-fire 56, supported Rahul in a 115-run stand that propelled India A closer to the win. Despite Jurel’s departure, Rahul remained steady at the crease, and along with Nitish Kumar Reddy’s quick boundaries, India A completed the chase with eight balls remaining, sealing a 1-0 series win. The first match ended in a draw. For Australia, Todd Murphy was the pick of the bowler as he picked 3/114, while Corey Rocchiccioli picked up two wickets. Also Read: Asia Cup 2025 Super Four, India vs Sri Lanka match today: Head-to-head, ground stats, pitch conditions and more Brief scores: Australia A: 420 & 185 (Nathan McSweeny 85, Josh Philippe 50; Gurnoor Brar 3/42, Manav Suthar 3/50) lost to India A 194 & 413/5 (Sai Sudharsan 100, KL Rahul 176; Todd Murphy 3/114, Corey Rocchiccioli 2/84) by five wickets.

KL Rahul's unbeaten 176 guides India A to a historic chase, securing a five-wicket win over Australia A in the second unofficial Test played at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium

The Indian team had a sweet end to a long England tour on Monday (August 4) after they beat England by a mere six runs at The Oval. The win saw both India and England share the inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, with both teams winning two matches each.&nbsp;The new-look Indian side had Shubman Gill as the skipper with no Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the side for the first time in more than a decade in the red-ball format. As India enjoyed a huge batting success, there was the curious case for ‘No.3 position’ which is well and truly up for grabs after Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan failed to make their mark.&nbsp;<h2>Karun Nair, Sai Sudharsan fail at No.3</h2>During the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Karun Nair played at the No.3 position on four occasions during the Edgbaston and Lord’s Test, scoring 111 runs. His highest score across the four innings was 40 as he clearly struggled to nail down a place in the position. He was also used as a No.5 in the Headingley and the Oval Tests, but failed to make an impression, scoring 94 runs in four further innings.&nbsp;&nbsp;Considering Ravindra Jadeja was scoring runs in tandem despite not being a full-time batter, it showed Nair’s inability to adapt against the lethal English attack. Interestingly, he had scored 204 against England Lions in a warm-up match before the series started.&nbsp;&nbsp;On the other hand, Sai Sudharsan scored slightly more runs at No.3 for India, but he also played two more innings compared to Nair. While he got a fifty at Old Trafford, he was also on the receiving end of two ducks in that position. In total, Sudharsan scored 140 runs in six innings, highlighting India’s flaws at No.3 while batters like KL Rahul and Shubman Gill were excelling.&nbsp;&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-rohit-sharma-to-virat-kohli-here-is-a-look-at-five-indian-batters-with-most-runs-in-asia-cup-odis-t20is-sachin-tendulkar-ms-dhoni-dhawan-1754123070628">From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli, 5 Indian batters with most runs in Asia Cup (ODIs + T20Is)</a><h2>Who are the options?</h2>As things stand, India will have to rethink their plans for the No.3 position with the likes of Shreyas Iyer and Sarafraz Khan on the waiting list. However, neither is a natural No.3 option, meaning that to accommodate either in the Playing XI, Shubman Gill will have to move up. But that said, it is unlikely the Indian management will change Gill’s position after starring in the No.4 position.&nbsp;&nbsp;If natural No.3 options are taken into consideration, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane could be thrown a career lifeline. Like Iyer and Sarafraz, Rahane is also not a natural No.3, so his return looks unlikely, while Pujara’s return will depend on factors like age, injury and long-term availability.&nbsp;&nbsp;It also won’t be surprising if the Indian team management decides to give Abhimanyu Easwaran a debut cap during the West Indies series in October and try him at No.3, having travelled with the squad for the entire Australia and England tour without getting any game time. &nbsp;

As India enjoyed a huge batting success during the England tour, there was the curious case for ‘No.3 position’ which is well and truly up for grabs after Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan failed to make their mark. 

The Indian team had a sweet end to a long England tour on Monday (August 4) after they beat England by a mere six runs at The Oval. The win saw both India and England share the inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, with both teams winning two matches each. The new-look Indian side had Shubman Gill as the skipper with no Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the side for the first time in more than a decade in the red-ball format. As India enjoyed a huge batting success, there was the curious case for ‘No.3 position’ which is well and truly up for grabs after Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan failed to make their mark. Karun Nair, Sai Sudharsan fail at No.3 During the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Karun Nair played at the No.3 position on four occasions during the Edgbaston and Lord’s Test, scoring 111 runs. His highest score across the four innings was 40 as he clearly struggled to nail down a place in the position. He was also used as a No.5 in the Headingley and the Oval Tests, but failed to make an impression, scoring 94 runs in four further innings. Considering Ravindra Jadeja was scoring runs in tandem despite not being a full-time batter, it showed Nair’s inability to adapt against the lethal English attack. Interestingly, he had scored 204 against England Lions in a warm-up match before the series started. On the other hand, Sai Sudharsan scored slightly more runs at No.3 for India, but he also played two more innings compared to Nair. While he got a fifty at Old Trafford, he was also on the receiving end of two ducks in that position. In total, Sudharsan scored 140 runs in six innings, highlighting India’s flaws at No.3 while batters like KL Rahul and Shubman Gill were excelling. ALSO READ | From Rohit Sharma to Virat Kohli, 5 Indian batters with most runs in Asia Cup (ODIs + T20Is) Who are the options? As things stand, India will have to rethink their plans for the No.3 position with the likes of Shreyas Iyer and Sarafraz Khan on the waiting list. However, neither is a natural No.3 option, meaning that to accommodate either in the Playing XI, Shubman Gill will have to move up. But that said, it is unlikely the Indian management will change Gill’s position after starring in the No.4 position. If natural No.3 options are taken into consideration, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane could be thrown a career lifeline. Like Iyer and Sarafraz, Rahane is also not a natural No.3, so his return looks unlikely, while Pujara’s return will depend on factors like age, injury and long-term availability. It also won’t be surprising if the Indian team management decides to give Abhimanyu Easwaran a debut cap during the West Indies series in October and try him at No.3, having travelled with the squad for the entire Australia and England tour without getting any game time.

As India enjoyed a huge batting success during the England tour, there was the curious case for ‘No.3 position’ which is well and truly up for grabs after Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan failed to make their mark.&nbsp;

'The No.3 position': India's unanswered question during England tour after Karun Nair, Sai Sudharsan failures

With Sai Sudharsan replacing Karun Nair in the Manchester Test against England, debate over who deserves to seal the number three spot began, with former Indian ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin sharing his thoughts on the same. While Nair failed to own that spot across the previous two Tests, scoring 111 across four innings, Sudharsan almost hit a jackpot with his gritty 61 off 151 balls in his return game for India at Old Trafford. Ashwin addressed the elephant in the room, talking about how playing Nair at a position he doesn’t bat at, even in domestic cricket, created a mental block in his head, leading to mediocre outings in the UK.&nbsp;Karun Nair’s Test career is a tale of two sides. While he found immense success on his first run, including scoring a 303 against England in Chennai in only his third Test before an array of poor scores saw him out of the team, his return after eight years lasted just three Tests. Nair got out on a four-ball duck batting at number six in Leeds before the team promoted him to number three, where his best score of 40 (thus far in this series) came in the previous Test at the Lord’s.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-4th-test-this-game-needs-pant-ex-england-captain-nasser-hussain-prays-for-rishabh-speedy-recovery-foot-injury-1753332054084">IND vs ENG, 4th Test: ‘This game needs Pant,' Ex-England captain prays for Rishabh’s speedy recovery</a> &nbsp;The management decided to drop him for the Manchester Test and brought in Sudharsan in his place. &nbsp;“Karun Nair has never played at No. 3. Now, by playing him at No. 3, you have put his mindset in a block,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. He, however, praised Sai for soaking up the pressure of doing well on his return after getting dropped after just one Test (at Headingley).&nbsp; &nbsp;“Credit to Sai Sudharsan, because it is not easy being a youngster after getting dropped and with India 1-2 behind in the series to come into the fourth Test and respond the way he did. I think he has to own that No. 3 for the near future to be able to give a bit of solidity for the team,” Ashwin continued. &nbsp;Talking highly of his fellow state player, who got out on 61 playing a pull shot to Ben Stokes late on day one in Manchester, Ashwin said, “He showed that sort of solidity. He was able to leave the ball. He earned the right to score those runs. I am a bit upset because I am a huge well-wisher of him. He could have scored a hundred.” &nbsp;Meanwhile, Team India sits comfortably after the first day’s play despite losing Rishabh Pant to injury, as their scorecard reads 264 for four, with two all-rounders – Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur at the crease.

Karun Nair’s Test career is a tale of two sides. While he found immense success on his first run, including scoring a 303 against England in Chennai in only his third Test before an array of poor scores saw him out of the team, his return after eight years lasted just three Tests.

With Sai Sudharsan replacing Karun Nair in the Manchester Test against England, debate over who deserves to seal the number three spot began, with former Indian ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin sharing his thoughts on the same. While Nair failed to own that spot across the previous two Tests, scoring 111 across four innings, Sudharsan almost hit a jackpot with his gritty 61 off 151 balls in his return game for India at Old Trafford. Ashwin addressed the elephant in the room, talking about how playing Nair at a position he doesn’t bat at, even in domestic cricket, created a mental block in his head, leading to mediocre outings in the UK. Karun Nair’s Test career is a tale of two sides. While he found immense success on his first run, including scoring a 303 against England in Chennai in only his third Test before an array of poor scores saw him out of the team, his return after eight years lasted just three Tests. Nair got out on a four-ball duck batting at number six in Leeds before the team promoted him to number three, where his best score of 40 (thus far in this series) came in the previous Test at the Lord’s. Also read | IND vs ENG, 4th Test: ‘This game needs Pant,' Ex-England captain prays for Rishabh’s speedy recovery The management decided to drop him for the Manchester Test and brought in Sudharsan in his place. “Karun Nair has never played at No. 3. Now, by playing him at No. 3, you have put his mindset in a block,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. He, however, praised Sai for soaking up the pressure of doing well on his return after getting dropped after just one Test (at Headingley). “Credit to Sai Sudharsan, because it is not easy being a youngster after getting dropped and with India 1-2 behind in the series to come into the fourth Test and respond the way he did. I think he has to own that No. 3 for the near future to be able to give a bit of solidity for the team,” Ashwin continued. Talking highly of his fellow state player, who got out on 61 playing a pull shot to Ben Stokes late on day one in Manchester, Ashwin said, “He showed that sort of solidity. He was able to leave the ball. He earned the right to score those runs. I am a bit upset because I am a huge well-wisher of him. He could have scored a hundred.” Meanwhile, Team India sits comfortably after the first day’s play despite losing Rishabh Pant to injury, as their scorecard reads 264 for four, with two all-rounders – Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur at the crease.

Karun Nair’s Test career is a tale of two sides. While he found immense success on his first run, including scoring a 303 against England in Chennai in only his third Test before an array of poor scores saw him out of the team, his return after eight years lasted just three Tests.

Who among Sai Sudharsan or Karun Nair should be India’s new number three in Tests? Ravi Ashwin answers

Sai Sudharsan made the opportunity count in his comeback game with a fifty while Rishabh Pant suffered another injury as India played the old-fashioned way to reach 264 for four at stumps on day one of the fourth Test on Wednesday (July 23). At stumps, Ravindra Jadeja (19 batting off 37) and Shardul Thakur (19 batting off 36) were holding fort in fading light.&nbsp;Put in to bat in overcast conditions, Indian openers KL Rahul (46 off 98 balls) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (58 off 107) put on 94 runs for their highest stand of the series before Sudharsan (61 off 151) produced a dogged knock under pressure to justify his selection over Karun Nair.&nbsp;Batting alongside Sudharsan, Pant (37 retired hurt off 48) had just started flexing his muscles before missing a reverse hit off a full ball from Chris Woakes. The impact of the ball was on Pant’s right foot, causing him significant pain, and he had to be taken off the field in a golf cart.&nbsp;There were also blood stains on his foot, unsettling the Indian fans and the dressing room. Pant had entered this must-win game after recovering from a finger injury suffered while keeping during the Lord’s Test. The sun stayed away for most of the day, but the slow nature of the pitch gave the batters enough time to handle the extra pace of Jofra Archer. While Sudharsan was at the crease, he looked comfortable and had luck on his side, having been dropped down the leg side on 20 by keeper Jamie Smith off Ben Stokes.&nbsp;He capitalised on that luck to play a couple of pull shots off Archer before executing a crisp back foot punch off Stokes. The England captain kept dragging an occasional ball down the leg side in his attempt to induce an edge off Sudharsan’s bat before resorting to short balls. Sudharsan was up to the task until he pulled one straight into the hands of Brydon Carse at fine leg.&nbsp;The young Indian batter was watchful at the start of the innings, scoring only off balls pitched on middle and leg. He flicked Archer for his first four before cover driving Liam Dawson. Until his injury, Pant played his usual way, successfully sweeping Archer before dispatching Carse for a six down the ground. In the afternoon session, England removed a well-set Rahul and Jaiswal before sending back Shubman Gill to leave India at 149 for three at tea.&nbsp;Having failed to take a wicket in the morning session, England broke through shortly after lunch with Woakes finally rewarded for relentlessly bowling in the off-stump channel. He had Rahul caught at third slip with a ball that seamed away from length. The second wicket of the session came via left-arm spinner Dawson, who took just seven balls to strike in his first Test in eight years. Jaiswal played for the spin, but the ball did not turn that much, taking a thick outside edge on its way to first slip.&nbsp;India captain Gill (12) did not last long as he misjudged an incoming ball from Stokes, not offering a shot, trapping him in front. In the morning session, Jaiswal survived a probing spell from Woakes while Rahul looked solid as ever to steer India to 78 for no loss at lunch. No team opting to bowl first has ever won at Old Trafford, but Stokes ignored that statistic on an overcast morning.&nbsp;The ball did seam around, but the lack of pace allowed the Indian openers to play the pull shot with relative ease. Gill thought it was a good toss to lose, and that seems to be the case considering the dry and slow nature of the surface. Woakes made it most difficult for the batters, especially Jaiswal, who was beaten on a number of occasions by the England pacer.&nbsp;In the first over of the match bowled by Woakes, two edges off Jaiswal’s bat did not carry, indicating there wasn’t enough carry off the pitch. In his eight-over spell, Woakes was pulled twice with Rahul and Jaiswal dispatching him in front of the square. A streaky drive from Rahul off Woakes brought up the Indian opener’s 1000 runs in England, a testament to his stellar work at the top of the order even in this series.&nbsp;Jaiswal, who was dismissed by Archer twice at Lord’s, made a conscious effort to leave balls. The southpaw was also forced to change his bat when a ball from Woakes seamed back sharply from around the wicket, hitting high on his bat and breaking the handle. The openers somehow managed to survive the first hour of play, taking India to 42 for no loss in 14 overs. Despite backing Nair on the eve of the game, Gill dropped the number three batter for Sudharsan. The other two were forced changes with uncapped Anshul Kamboj and Shardul Thakur replacing the injured Akash Deep and Nitish Reddy respectively.

IND vs ENG, 4th Test: Fifties from Jaiswal, Sudharsan steer India to 264/4 on opening day

Sai Sudharsan made the opportunity count in his comeback game with a fifty while Rishabh Pant suffered another injury as India played the old-fashioned way to reach 264 for four at stumps on day one of the fourth Test on Wednesday (July 23). At stumps, Ravindra Jadeja (19 batting off 37) and Shardul Thakur (19 batting off 36) were holding fort in fading light. Put in to bat in overcast conditions, Indian openers KL Rahul (46 off 98 balls) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (58 off 107) put on 94 runs for their highest stand of the series before Sudharsan (61 off 151) produced a dogged knock under pressure to justify his selection over Karun Nair. Batting alongside Sudharsan, Pant (37 retired hurt off 48) had just started flexing his muscles before missing a reverse hit off a full ball from Chris Woakes. The impact of the ball was on Pant’s right foot, causing him significant pain, and he had to be taken off the field in a golf cart. There were also blood stains on his foot, unsettling the Indian fans and the dressing room. Pant had entered this must-win game after recovering from a finger injury suffered while keeping during the Lord’s Test. The sun stayed away for most of the day, but the slow nature of the pitch gave the batters enough time to handle the extra pace of Jofra Archer. While Sudharsan was at the crease, he looked comfortable and had luck on his side, having been dropped down the leg side on 20 by keeper Jamie Smith off Ben Stokes. He capitalised on that luck to play a couple of pull shots off Archer before executing a crisp back foot punch off Stokes. The England captain kept dragging an occasional ball down the leg side in his attempt to induce an edge off Sudharsan’s bat before resorting to short balls. Sudharsan was up to the task until he pulled one straight into the hands of Brydon Carse at fine leg. The young Indian batter was watchful at the start of the innings, scoring only off balls pitched on middle and leg. He flicked Archer for his first four before cover driving Liam Dawson. Until his injury, Pant played his usual way, successfully sweeping Archer before dispatching Carse for a six down the ground. In the afternoon session, England removed a well-set Rahul and Jaiswal before sending back Shubman Gill to leave India at 149 for three at tea. Having failed to take a wicket in the morning session, England broke through shortly after lunch with Woakes finally rewarded for relentlessly bowling in the off-stump channel. He had Rahul caught at third slip with a ball that seamed away from length. The second wicket of the session came via left-arm spinner Dawson, who took just seven balls to strike in his first Test in eight years. Jaiswal played for the spin, but the ball did not turn that much, taking a thick outside edge on its way to first slip. India captain Gill (12) did not last long as he misjudged an incoming ball from Stokes, not offering a shot, trapping him in front. In the morning session, Jaiswal survived a probing spell from Woakes while Rahul looked solid as ever to steer India to 78 for no loss at lunch. No team opting to bowl first has ever won at Old Trafford, but Stokes ignored that statistic on an overcast morning. The ball did seam around, but the lack of pace allowed the Indian openers to play the pull shot with relative ease. Gill thought it was a good toss to lose, and that seems to be the case considering the dry and slow nature of the surface. Woakes made it most difficult for the batters, especially Jaiswal, who was beaten on a number of occasions by the England pacer. In the first over of the match bowled by Woakes, two edges off Jaiswal’s bat did not carry, indicating there wasn’t enough carry off the pitch. In his eight-over spell, Woakes was pulled twice with Rahul and Jaiswal dispatching him in front of the square. A streaky drive from Rahul off Woakes brought up the Indian opener’s 1000 runs in England, a testament to his stellar work at the top of the order even in this series. Jaiswal, who was dismissed by Archer twice at Lord’s, made a conscious effort to leave balls. The southpaw was also forced to change his bat when a ball from Woakes seamed back sharply from around the wicket, hitting high on his bat and breaking the handle. The openers somehow managed to survive the first hour of play, taking India to 42 for no loss in 14 overs. Despite backing Nair on the eve of the game, Gill dropped the number three batter for Sudharsan. The other two were forced changes with uncapped Anshul Kamboj and Shardul Thakur replacing the injured Akash Deep and Nitish Reddy respectively.

At stumps, Ravindra Jadeja (19 batting off 37) and Shardul Thakur (19 batting off 36) were holding fort in fading light

Team India could make a sea of changes to their playing XI for the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford in Manchester. Following injuries to seamers Arshdeep Singh and Akash Deep, all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and keeper-batter Rishabh Pant, the visiting camp could make as many as three changes or even more to the side for their do-or-die game in this Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. As India trails (1-2) in this five-match series, they need to win the next game or ensure a draw to take it to the fifth Test at the Kia Oval. The latest reports suggest that Sai Sudharsan could make his comeback in the team.&nbsp;Ace quick <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-2025-jasprit-bumrah-to-play-in-manchester-test-mohammed-siraj-confirms-1753104950687">Jasprit Bumrah will play the fourth Test, as confirmed by his fellow seamer Mohammed Siraj</a> in the pre-game presser, while the management is closely monitoring two players, Akash Deep and Pant, before assembling the best XI for the Manchester Test. &nbsp;Rishabh Pant, who suffered a finger injury during the Lord’s Test, came through a training session that lasted over two hours, showing positive signs. On Monday (Jul 21), he went through keeping drills and batted comfortably in the nets. Although he is still not clear to keep wickets in the fourth Test, Dhruv Jurel remains an option as a specialist keeper for the fourth Test. &nbsp;On the other hand, following an untimely injury to all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who impressed all with his batting and part-time seam-bowling (in the Lord’s Test), Team India could play a specialist batter, Sai Sudharsan, in his place, boosting the batting order. In that case, India could afford to bench Washington Sundar and bring in Shardul Thakur, should the conditions warrant a fourth seamer instead of a proper second spinner.<h3>Team India sweats on Akash Deep’s injury &nbsp;</h3>Akash Deep, who helped India win the second Test in Birmingham with his maiden ten-wicket haul, is facing a test against time to get fitness clearance ahead of the Manchester game. Even though he bowled in the nets on Monday, more so under bowling coach Morne Morkel’s observation, the medical team and the decision-makers will further observe him for another two days before taking a final call on his team selection. &nbsp;Meanwhile, light showers are expected on days one, two and five in Manchester; and with Bumrah playing the fourth Test, the chances of him pushing for another game (regardless of the result) are also on the cards. Bumrah, however, is not supposed to play more than three matches on this tour as it increases the risks of his persistent back injury.&nbsp;

As India trails (1-2) in this five-match series, they need to win the next game or ensure a draw to take it to the fifth Test at the Kia Oval.

Team India could make a sea of changes to their playing XI for the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford in Manchester. Following injuries to seamers Arshdeep Singh and Akash Deep, all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and keeper-batter Rishabh Pant, the visiting camp could make as many as three changes or even more to the side for their do-or-die game in this Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. As India trails (1-2) in this five-match series, they need to win the next game or ensure a draw to take it to the fifth Test at the Kia Oval. The latest reports suggest that Sai Sudharsan could make his comeback in the team. Ace quick Jasprit Bumrah will play the fourth Test, as confirmed by his fellow seamer Mohammed Siraj in the pre-game presser, while the management is closely monitoring two players, Akash Deep and Pant, before assembling the best XI for the Manchester Test. Rishabh Pant, who suffered a finger injury during the Lord’s Test, came through a training session that lasted over two hours, showing positive signs. On Monday (Jul 21), he went through keeping drills and batted comfortably in the nets. Although he is still not clear to keep wickets in the fourth Test, Dhruv Jurel remains an option as a specialist keeper for the fourth Test. On the other hand, following an untimely injury to all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who impressed all with his batting and part-time seam-bowling (in the Lord’s Test), Team India could play a specialist batter, Sai Sudharsan, in his place, boosting the batting order. In that case, India could afford to bench Washington Sundar and bring in Shardul Thakur, should the conditions warrant a fourth seamer instead of a proper second spinner. Team India sweats on Akash Deep’s injury Akash Deep, who helped India win the second Test in Birmingham with his maiden ten-wicket haul, is facing a test against time to get fitness clearance ahead of the Manchester game. Even though he bowled in the nets on Monday, more so under bowling coach Morne Morkel’s observation, the medical team and the decision-makers will further observe him for another two days before taking a final call on his team selection. Meanwhile, light showers are expected on days one, two and five in Manchester; and with Bumrah playing the fourth Test, the chances of him pushing for another game (regardless of the result) are also on the cards. Bumrah, however, is not supposed to play more than three matches on this tour as it increases the risks of his persistent back injury.

As India trails (1-2) in this five-match series, they need to win the next game or ensure a draw to take it to the fifth Test at the Kia Oval.

IND vs ENG 2025: Sudharsan, Thakur, Jurel in fray for comeback as India prepare for Manchester Test - Report

Sudharsan is the latest Indian player to join the long list of cricketers who were out on a duck in their first Test match. Let’s take a look at five famous players who fall in this list.

Sudharsan is the latest Indian player to join the long list of cricketers who were out on a duck in their first Test match. Let’s take a look at five famous players who fall in this list.

Sai Sudharsan to Marnus Labuschagne: 5 batters who scored a duck on Test debut

June has been precious for Indian cricket with India lifting two ICC titles and four Indian batters debuting in Test cricket.

June has been precious for Indian cricket with India lifting two ICC titles and four Indian batters debuting in Test cricket.

From Lord’s glory to debut dreams: Why June is special for Indian Cricket

What does it mean to wear the Indian Test jersey? For some, it’s an achievement and for others, it’s a lifetime dream. But for Sai Sudharsan, it meant grit, patience and a powerful comeback. On Friday (Jun 20), the 23-year-old left-hand batter from Tamil Nadu lived the biggest day of his cricketing career as he made his Test debut for India against England at Headingley, Leeds. Cheteshwar Pujara handed him his Test cap and tears were rolling in Sai’s eyes, a moment that showed how much Cap. No. 317 meant to him.Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-rahul-jasiwal-start-off-headingley-test-with-historic-milestone-last-achieved-in-1986-1750418296708">IND vs ENG: Rahul, Jasiwal start off Headingley Test with HISTORIC milestone last achieved in 1986</a>June 20: Glorious Day in Indian Test CricketInterestingly, June 20 is a date that carries great meaning in Indian cricket. In 1996, it was the day legends like Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid made their Test debuts at Lord’s. In 2011, it was Virat Kohli’s turn. Now, in 2025, the baton has been passed to Sai Sudharsan.But his path to the debut wasn’t a walk in the park. In December 2019, Sai was dropped from Tamil Nadu’s U-19 team for a strange reason: poor physical shape. He was completely shattered; however, instead of quitting, he fought tooth and nail to come back stronger.Sai's parents played a crucial role in his fitness and training journey. Usha Bharadwaj, a former Tamil Nadu volleyball player and fitness coach, began training him along with his father, R Bharadwaj, a track-and-field athlete who represented India.Sudharsan's comeback was strong and focused. In the 2021 TNPL, he became the second-highest run-scorer. He shone in his maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 610 runs, including three centuries, with an average of 76. One of those knocks came during a record-breaking 416-run opening stand with N Jagadeesan against Arunachal Pradesh.Then came the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he made headlines. Picked by the Gujarat Titans (GT) in 2022, he rose steadily in the cash-rich tournament. In the 2023 IPL final against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), he smashed 96 and nearly won the trophy for GT. Also in IPL 2025, Sai topped the orange cap leaderboard with 759 runs, including a century and five fifties.Now, he's here batting at No. 3 in the Indian Test team with a mix of calmness and confidence. Sai Sudharsan’s journey proves that no setback is permanent. Hard work and strong belief can defy all the odds and place you towards your goal.

On Friday (Jun 20), the 23-year-old left-hand batter from Tamil Nadu lived the biggest day of his cricketing career as he made his Test debut for India against England at Headingley, Leeds.

What does it mean to wear the Indian Test jersey? For some, it’s an achievement and for others, it’s a lifetime dream. But for Sai Sudharsan, it meant grit, patience and a powerful comeback. On Friday (Jun 20), the 23-year-old left-hand batter from Tamil Nadu lived the biggest day of his cricketing career as he made his Test debut for India against England at Headingley, Leeds. Cheteshwar Pujara handed him his Test cap and tears were rolling in Sai’s eyes, a moment that showed how much Cap. No. 317 meant to him. Also Read | IND vs ENG: Rahul, Jasiwal start off Headingley Test with HISTORIC milestone last achieved in 1986 June 20: Glorious Day in Indian Test Cricket Interestingly, June 20 is a date that carries great meaning in Indian cricket. In 1996, it was the day legends like Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid made their Test debuts at Lord’s. In 2011, it was Virat Kohli’s turn. Now, in 2025, the baton has been passed to Sai Sudharsan. But his path to the debut wasn’t a walk in the park. In December 2019, Sai was dropped from Tamil Nadu’s U-19 team for a strange reason: poor physical shape. He was completely shattered; however, instead of quitting, he fought tooth and nail to come back stronger. Sai's parents played a crucial role in his fitness and training journey. Usha Bharadwaj, a former Tamil Nadu volleyball player and fitness coach, began training him along with his father, R Bharadwaj, a track-and-field athlete who represented India. Sudharsan's comeback was strong and focused. In the 2021 TNPL, he became the second-highest run-scorer. He shone in his maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 610 runs, including three centuries, with an average of 76. One of those knocks came during a record-breaking 416-run opening stand with N Jagadeesan against Arunachal Pradesh. Then came the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he made headlines. Picked by the Gujarat Titans (GT) in 2022, he rose steadily in the cash-rich tournament. In the 2023 IPL final against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), he smashed 96 and nearly won the trophy for GT. Also in IPL 2025, Sai topped the orange cap leaderboard with 759 runs, including a century and five fifties. Now, he's here batting at No. 3 in the Indian Test team with a mix of calmness and confidence. Sai Sudharsan’s journey proves that no setback is permanent. Hard work and strong belief can defy all the odds and place you towards your goal.

On Friday (Jun 20), the 23-year-old left-hand batter from Tamil Nadu lived the biggest day of his cricketing career as he made his Test debut for India against England at Headingley, Leeds.

Tears, grit and a dream fulfilled: Sai Sudharsan’s journey to India's Test debut

Former Australia captains Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting hold different opinions on Team India’s batting conundrum ahead of the England Tests, but have thrown their weight behind uncapped superstar ‘Sai Sudharsan’ to debut and rock in the UK. As the touring side prepares to begin a new life in Tests without stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and under new captain Shubman Gill, all focus is on left-handed batter Sudharsan and his potential exploits in challenging conditions.&nbsp;Besides expecting Sai to make his Test debut in the series opener in Leeds itself, Ponting wants him to open the innings with fellow leftie Yashasvi Jaiswal, with newly-appointed Test skipper Gill filling the number four slot, left behind by veteran Virat Kohli.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/eng-vs-ind-2025-if-any-country-can-do-it-quickly-india-can-cricket-great-ricky-ponting-rohit-sharma-virat-kohli-be-replaced-in-tests-1749294747247">Are Rohit and Kohli replaceable in Tests? Cricket great feels if only one team can do it quickly, it's…</a> &nbsp;Backing IPL 2025 highest run-getter Sudharsan, Ponting believes that Sai has the technique to be successful in England and already looks like a class player. He, however, pointed out that either KL Rahul or Karun Nair should take up the number three slot, with Gill batting in his new position. &nbsp;"I think (Sai) Sudarshan and (Yashasvi) Jaiswal will open the batting (in England) as Sudarshan just looks like a class player to me, and technically, I think he could do well at Test level," Ponting said on the ICC Review. "They'll have two pretty young opening batters, so they might look to go for someone that's got a bit more experience at No.3. &nbsp;"Whether that's KL (Rahul) or Karun (Nair) at No.3, and then Shubman might end up being that No.4 player, which will probably make life for him a little bit easier as a captain as well,” he added.<h2>Clarke’s take on Sai’s upcoming UK tour &nbsp;</h2>On the other hand, Ponting’s former teammate Michael Clarke calls Sai a superstar, urging the decision-makers to draft him into the playing XI for the Headingley Test starting June 20. Not only this, but Clarke even cleared what position the touted next-generation star must bat at.&nbsp; &nbsp;“To me, this kid is a superstar, Sai Sudharsan. I think he is a number three in Test cricket. I think he is probably going to open the batting in time in India’s T20I and ODI teams. He is in their Test squad. He gets his first opportunity in England,” Clarke said on the Beyond23 Cricket podcast. &nbsp;“I think he can walk in straight to bat at number three. I think, technically, he’s very good, he’s got all the shots, and mentally, he’s ready. He really impressed me, and he’s a good-looking player as well,” Clarke continued. &nbsp;Meanwhile, Sai was part of the main squad that landed in the UK on Saturday.&nbsp;

ENG vs IND 2025: Clarke, Ponting differ on India’s batting conundrum but back superstar Sudharsan to debut in UK

Former Australia captains Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting hold different opinions on Team India’s batting conundrum ahead of the England Tests, but have thrown their weight behind uncapped superstar ‘Sai Sudharsan’ to debut and rock in the UK. As the touring side prepares to begin a new life in Tests without stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and under new captain Shubman Gill, all focus is on left-handed batter Sudharsan and his potential exploits in challenging conditions. Besides expecting Sai to make his Test debut in the series opener in Leeds itself, Ponting wants him to open the innings with fellow leftie Yashasvi Jaiswal, with newly-appointed Test skipper Gill filling the number four slot, left behind by veteran Virat Kohli. Also read | Are Rohit and Kohli replaceable in Tests? Cricket great feels if only one team can do it quickly, it's… Backing IPL 2025 highest run-getter Sudharsan, Ponting believes that Sai has the technique to be successful in England and already looks like a class player. He, however, pointed out that either KL Rahul or Karun Nair should take up the number three slot, with Gill batting in his new position. "I think (Sai) Sudarshan and (Yashasvi) Jaiswal will open the batting (in England) as Sudarshan just looks like a class player to me, and technically, I think he could do well at Test level," Ponting said on the ICC Review. "They'll have two pretty young opening batters, so they might look to go for someone that's got a bit more experience at No.3. "Whether that's KL (Rahul) or Karun (Nair) at No.3, and then Shubman might end up being that No.4 player, which will probably make life for him a little bit easier as a captain as well,” he added. Clarke’s take on Sai’s upcoming UK tour On the other hand, Ponting’s former teammate Michael Clarke calls Sai a superstar, urging the decision-makers to draft him into the playing XI for the Headingley Test starting June 20. Not only this, but Clarke even cleared what position the touted next-generation star must bat at. “To me, this kid is a superstar, Sai Sudharsan. I think he is a number three in Test cricket. I think he is probably going to open the batting in time in India’s T20I and ODI teams. He is in their Test squad. He gets his first opportunity in England,” Clarke said on the Beyond23 Cricket podcast. “I think he can walk in straight to bat at number three. I think, technically, he’s very good, he’s got all the shots, and mentally, he’s ready. He really impressed me, and he’s a good-looking player as well,” Clarke continued. Meanwhile, Sai was part of the main squad that landed in the UK on Saturday.

As the touring side prepares to begin a new life in Tests without stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and under new captain Shubman Gill, all focus is on left-handed batter Sudharsan and his potential exploits in challenging conditions.

ENG vs IND 2025: Clarke, Ponting differ on India’s batting conundrum but back 'superstar' Sudharsan to debut in UK

Sai Sudharsan had a bumper IPL 2025, having scored 759 runs in 15 contested matches while averaging over 54 and striking at 156.17. Although he stayed at the top of the run-scoring sheet this season, his exploits failed to guide his team, Gujarat Titans (GT), deeper into the tournament. Mumbai Indians beat Gujarat by 20 runs in the Eliminator on Friday (May 30), knocking them out of the final race. Sudharsan, however, vows to take plenty out of it.&nbsp;Much like how he performed in all league matches leading to the playoffs, Sai was among runs against Mumbai, keeping GT alive in the run chase in the do-or-die clash. Chasing 229, Sai had GT on the front despite losing his partner, Shubman Gill, early inside the first over. The left-handed batter continued his ominous touch, hitting a crucial 80 off 49 balls, including a six and 10 fours. &nbsp;Although Sai has made his white-ball debut for India and was later picked in the 18-man squad for the upcoming England Tests, he still wishes to work on his T20 game before he plays this format again. He even addressed his chances of playing at next year’s T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-england-lions-vs-india-a-day-1-karun-nair-stays-unbeaten-on-186-test-hopefuls-among-runs-dhruv-jurel-sarfaraz-khan-1748671225027">England Lions vs India-A, Day 1: Karun Nair stays unbeaten on 186, Test hopefuls among runs</a> &nbsp;"I mean, playing for the country is obviously a dream for everybody, so I would love to do that," Sai said of his chances for the T20 World Cup next year.&nbsp; &nbsp;"But I'm not thinking on those lines because if you see about the season, I have a lot of things to improve as a T20 batter. There are so many facets of the game, or so many sectors, I should improve when I play T20 again. So, I'm focusing more on that. Of course, when I get an opportunity, I will give my best for the country,” he continued.&nbsp; &nbsp;Looking in hindsight, Sai and every GT dressing room member were deeply disappointed with the result despite leading the points table for a major part of the tournament. &nbsp;"It's good to see that I had a good season or I was consistent enough for my team, but I think when the job is not finished, you don't get the ultimate satisfaction when you get back home.&nbsp; &nbsp;“So, definitely, there's a lot of disappointment in the [team] environment because of the way we played the first 12 or 13 games, which was fantastic to see as a group or as a team from outside. Even when, in hindsight, you look at a season like this, I think our team was so good they did a lot of jobs really well.&nbsp; &nbsp;“So, finishing a tournament like this, definitely it doesn't give that complete satisfaction. But, yeah, appreciating the performances and, of course, learning from it is the is the thing forward,” he added. &nbsp;Meanwhile, Sai will now link up with the India-A squad in England for the second warm-up game against England Lions in Northampton, starting June 10. Should he impress the selectors in his limited red-ball outing during the shadow tour, Sai could make his Test debut sometime during the five-match Test series.&nbsp;

GT opener Sai Sudharsan takes plenty from bumper IPL 2025 amid elimination disappointment

Sai Sudharsan had a bumper IPL 2025, having scored 759 runs in 15 contested matches while averaging over 54 and striking at 156.17. Although he stayed at the top of the run-scoring sheet this season, his exploits failed to guide his team, Gujarat Titans (GT), deeper into the tournament. Mumbai Indians beat Gujarat by 20 runs in the Eliminator on Friday (May 30), knocking them out of the final race. Sudharsan, however, vows to take plenty out of it. Much like how he performed in all league matches leading to the playoffs, Sai was among runs against Mumbai, keeping GT alive in the run chase in the do-or-die clash. Chasing 229, Sai had GT on the front despite losing his partner, Shubman Gill, early inside the first over. The left-handed batter continued his ominous touch, hitting a crucial 80 off 49 balls, including a six and 10 fours. Although Sai has made his white-ball debut for India and was later picked in the 18-man squad for the upcoming England Tests, he still wishes to work on his T20 game before he plays this format again. He even addressed his chances of playing at next year’s T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Also read | England Lions vs India-A, Day 1: Karun Nair stays unbeaten on 186, Test hopefuls among runs "I mean, playing for the country is obviously a dream for everybody, so I would love to do that," Sai said of his chances for the T20 World Cup next year. "But I'm not thinking on those lines because if you see about the season, I have a lot of things to improve as a T20 batter. There are so many facets of the game, or so many sectors, I should improve when I play T20 again. So, I'm focusing more on that. Of course, when I get an opportunity, I will give my best for the country,” he continued. Looking in hindsight, Sai and every GT dressing room member were deeply disappointed with the result despite leading the points table for a major part of the tournament. "It's good to see that I had a good season or I was consistent enough for my team, but I think when the job is not finished, you don't get the ultimate satisfaction when you get back home. “So, definitely, there's a lot of disappointment in the [team] environment because of the way we played the first 12 or 13 games, which was fantastic to see as a group or as a team from outside. Even when, in hindsight, you look at a season like this, I think our team was so good they did a lot of jobs really well. “So, finishing a tournament like this, definitely it doesn't give that complete satisfaction. But, yeah, appreciating the performances and, of course, learning from it is the is the thing forward,” he added. Meanwhile, Sai will now link up with the India-A squad in England for the second warm-up game against England Lions in Northampton, starting June 10. Should he impress the selectors in his limited red-ball outing during the shadow tour, Sai could make his Test debut sometime during the five-match Test series.

Much like how he performed in all league matches leading to the playoffs, Sai was among runs against Mumbai, keeping GT alive in the run chase in the do-or-die clash.

In an era where 20-over cricket is dominated by power-hitting, batters playing with timing, class and touch are gems in themselves. One such incredible batter is<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sai-sudharsan"> Sai Sudharsan</a>, a tall elegant, left-handed batter from Tamil Nadu. The notable thing about Sai is how he crafts his innings. He neither swings hard nor blind slogs but he just finds the gaps, plays with a cool head, and builds his innings with patience. And now, the Gujarat Titans opener has earned his maiden India Test call-up, a reward for his calm consistency.&nbsp;Sai’s rise was steady and gritted with a lot of temperament. After showing promise in the TNPL, he quickly made his way into Tamil Nadu’s senior side. But it was the IPL that made people bite their nails. Picked by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/gujarat-titans">Gujarat Titans i</a>n IPL 2022 for his base price of INR 20 lakh, he grabbed this opportunity with golden hands.&nbsp;Also Read<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-2025-pujara-calls-sarfaraz-khans-test-snub-unfortunate-but-at-the-same-time-1748262219716"> | IND vs ENG 2025: Pujara calls Sarfaraz Khan's Test snub 'unfortunate, but at the same time...'</a>&nbsp;In IPL 2023, Sudharsan smashed 362 runs in just eight matches highlighted by a breathtaking 47-ball 96 in the final against CSK. He followed that up with an even better IPL 2024, scoring 527 runs and becoming GT’s top scorer and scored his first IPL century on the way to become the fastest Indian to 1000 IPL runs. Currently, he leads the IPL 2025 orange cap leaderboard with 679 runs in 14 outings.&nbsp;Sudharsan plays with skill and sharp game awareness. He rotates strike, keeps dot balls low, and paces his innings smartly. That’s what makes him different. His calmness was further sharpened in England. Sai played county cricket for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/surrey">Surrey</a> in 2023, scoring a century and a fifty in five matches. More than numbers, it was the experience that helped him grow.&nbsp;“Playing in England, you cannot relax as a batsman, I struggled in the first few games, but I learned to play the ball late, with soft hands, close to the body.” &nbsp;Sai was quoted saying to the Indian Express. Former England captain Alec Stewart had guided him through that period and gave him tips to handle the lateral movement of the ball.&nbsp;Sport runs in his family blood, his father was an athlete for India, his mother played volleyball for Tamil Nadu. However, it is Sai’s calm mind and classy batting that has brought him here added to his family's support.&nbsp;From IPL stardom to the Test cap, Sai Sudharsan’s rise is a reminder that in cricket, elegance and class still matter.

The notable thing about Sai is how he crafts his innings. He neither swings hard nor blind slogs but he just finds the gaps, plays with a cool head, and builds his innings with patience.

In an era where 20-over cricket is dominated by power-hitting, batters playing with timing, class and touch are gems in themselves. One such incredible batter is Sai Sudharsan, a tall elegant, left-handed batter from Tamil Nadu. The notable thing about Sai is how he crafts his innings. He neither swings hard nor blind slogs but he just finds the gaps, plays with a cool head, and builds his innings with patience. And now, the Gujarat Titans opener has earned his maiden India Test call-up, a reward for his calm consistency. Sai’s rise was steady and gritted with a lot of temperament. After showing promise in the TNPL, he quickly made his way into Tamil Nadu’s senior side. But it was the IPL that made people bite their nails. Picked by Gujarat Titans in IPL 2022 for his base price of INR 20 lakh, he grabbed this opportunity with golden hands. Also Read | IND vs ENG 2025: Pujara calls Sarfaraz Khan's Test snub 'unfortunate, but at the same time...' In IPL 2023, Sudharsan smashed 362 runs in just eight matches highlighted by a breathtaking 47-ball 96 in the final against CSK. He followed that up with an even better IPL 2024, scoring 527 runs and becoming GT’s top scorer and scored his first IPL century on the way to become the fastest Indian to 1000 IPL runs. Currently, he leads the IPL 2025 orange cap leaderboard with 679 runs in 14 outings. Sudharsan plays with skill and sharp game awareness. He rotates strike, keeps dot balls low, and paces his innings smartly. That’s what makes him different. His calmness was further sharpened in England. Sai played county cricket for Surrey in 2023, scoring a century and a fifty in five matches. More than numbers, it was the experience that helped him grow. “Playing in England, you cannot relax as a batsman, I struggled in the first few games, but I learned to play the ball late, with soft hands, close to the body.” Sai was quoted saying to the Indian Express. Former England captain Alec Stewart had guided him through that period and gave him tips to handle the lateral movement of the ball. Sport runs in his family blood, his father was an athlete for India, his mother played volleyball for Tamil Nadu. However, it is Sai’s calm mind and classy batting that has brought him here added to his family's support. From IPL stardom to the Test cap, Sai Sudharsan’s rise is a reminder that in cricket, elegance and class still matter.

The notable thing about Sai is how he crafts his innings. He neither swings hard nor blind slogs but he just finds the gaps, plays with a cool head, and builds his innings with patience.

Elegance over Power: The rise of Sai Sudharsan in India cricket set-up

Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee picked two uncapped players for the forthcoming England tour, including batter Sai Sudharsan and seamer Arshdeep Singh. While the cricket community welcomed their selection, some doubts have been raised lately over Sai’s inclusion in the 18-man squad for the five Tests starting June 20 in Leeds.&nbsp;Sai's former Tamil Nadu coach, Sulakshan Kulkarni, has expressed dissatisfaction over his technique in the challenging English conditions, ringing warning bells for Team India. Although the left-handed batter continues to make headlines in the ongoing IPL 2025, leading the run-scoring chart, hitting 679 runs in 14 contested matches thus far, Kulkarni feels his natural game could restrict him from scoring runs on seam-friendly pitches.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/eng-vs-ind-2025-cricket-no-sai-sudharsan-three-openers-and-captain-gill-in-cheteshwar-pujara-top-four-for-england-tests-1748257041166">No Sai Sudharsan, three openers and captain Gill in Pujara’s top four for England Tests</a> &nbsp;Sai’s IPL records in the past two years, alongside his first-class records, wherein he scored 1957 runs from 29 matches, make him a deserving candidate for the upcoming Test series, especially in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s absence. His former coach, however, warned the selectors of making a dicey call by picking an under-cooker, Sai Sudharsan, for the England tour. &nbsp;“His domestic record is not great. When I was the coach, I saw him play on a seaming track in at least two matches. And he didn’t play well there. His technique against the moving ball needs to improve,” Kulkarni said in an exclusive chat with Times of India (TOI).&nbsp; &nbsp;Detailing where he feels Sai could lag in England, his ex-coach said that the left-hander tends to play away from his body, contradicting the whole mantra of succeeding in those conditions. His ex-coach also warned him against playing across more, urging him to play straight and closer to his body.&nbsp; &nbsp;“He has a tendency of playing away from the body, while the secret of success in England is to play late and play the ball right under your nose. He has to curb some of his strokes and should play straight and close to the body. He has to work to get the technique right before the tour,” Kulkarni concluded. &nbsp;Meanwhile, Sudharsan has spent some time with Surrey in the English county across two seasons (2023 and 2024), averaging close to 35. During his last stint with the County side, Sudharsan hit his maiden FC hundred in England while batting at number six.&nbsp; &nbsp;He, however, would likely bat inside the top four if given a chance on the UK tour.&nbsp;

Warning bells ring for Team India ahead of the ENG Tests as Sai Sudharsan’s ex-coach drops worrying concerns

Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee picked two uncapped players for the forthcoming England tour, including batter Sai Sudharsan and seamer Arshdeep Singh. While the cricket community welcomed their selection, some doubts have been raised lately over Sai’s inclusion in the 18-man squad for the five Tests starting June 20 in Leeds. Sai's former Tamil Nadu coach, Sulakshan Kulkarni, has expressed dissatisfaction over his technique in the challenging English conditions, ringing warning bells for Team India. Although the left-handed batter continues to make headlines in the ongoing IPL 2025, leading the run-scoring chart, hitting 679 runs in 14 contested matches thus far, Kulkarni feels his natural game could restrict him from scoring runs on seam-friendly pitches. Also read | No Sai Sudharsan, three openers and captain Gill in Pujara’s top four for England Tests Sai’s IPL records in the past two years, alongside his first-class records, wherein he scored 1957 runs from 29 matches, make him a deserving candidate for the upcoming Test series, especially in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s absence. His former coach, however, warned the selectors of making a dicey call by picking an under-cooker, Sai Sudharsan, for the England tour. “His domestic record is not great. When I was the coach, I saw him play on a seaming track in at least two matches. And he didn’t play well there. His technique against the moving ball needs to improve,” Kulkarni said in an exclusive chat with Times of India (TOI). Detailing where he feels Sai could lag in England, his ex-coach said that the left-hander tends to play away from his body, contradicting the whole mantra of succeeding in those conditions. His ex-coach also warned him against playing across more, urging him to play straight and closer to his body. “He has a tendency of playing away from the body, while the secret of success in England is to play late and play the ball right under your nose. He has to curb some of his strokes and should play straight and close to the body. He has to work to get the technique right before the tour,” Kulkarni concluded. Meanwhile, Sudharsan has spent some time with Surrey in the English county across two seasons (2023 and 2024), averaging close to 35. During his last stint with the County side, Sudharsan hit his maiden FC hundred in England while batting at number six. He, however, would likely bat inside the top four if given a chance on the UK tour.

Although the left-handed batter continues to make headlines in the ongoing IPL 2025, leading the run-scoring chart, Kulkarni feels his natural game could restrict him from scoring runs on seam-friendly pitches.

The BCCI men’s selection committee picked a new-look 18-man squad for the England Tests starting June 20 in Leeds. In Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s absence owing to their Test retirement, the selectors picked ace batter Shubman Gill as the new Test skipper, with gloveman Rishabh Pant as his deputy. Meanwhile, Test veteran Cheteshwar Pujara voiced his opinion on Team India’s possible top four for the five-match Test series, including three openers and captain Gill.&nbsp;India’s top order shuffled a bit during their previous tour Down Under. Although KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal were the most successful pair of all, having stitched a match-winning partnership in the series opener in Perth, Rohit’s return to the side forced selectors to make a change for a game later in the series. Now that Rohit has retired, Rahul and Jaiswal might continue at the top in England, even in Pujara’s top four.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/eng-vs-ind-2025-shubman-gill-reacts-to-india-test-captaincy-role-urges-to-bring-best-out-of-players-1748179884038">Shubman Gill reacts to India’s Test captaincy role, urges to bring best out of players</a> &nbsp;Speaking of the number third and fourth slots, Pujara said the question remains around Gill’s batting position, and unless it's cleared, it’s hard to pick the best number three for those seaming conditions. Although Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair’s selection suggested that selectors are keen on having a technically sound batter playing inside the top four, Pujara differs here, throwing a new name for the position he excelled in during his playing days. &nbsp;"The openers who batted in Australia in the BGT series - KL Rahul and Yashasvi should continue. Now talking about no.3, at this stage, we don't know whether Shubman will bat there or drop down to No.4," Pujara said during a chat show on Sony Sports Network.&nbsp; &nbsp;Pujara said if Gill bats at number four, one of Abhimanyu Eshwaran or Karun Nair could play at three. He, however, expressed his preference on where Gill should bat in the Test team. &nbsp;"If Shubman bats at No.4, then someone like Abhimanyu Eshwaran or Karun Nair could be a good fit at that position, but I would still like to see Shubman batting at No.3," he added.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Someone like Karun who has done very well in domestic cricket, I think the ideal position for Karun would be No.4. If Shubman bats at No.3, then Karun Nair comes at No.4. If Shubman bats at No.4, then at No.3 it would be a choice between Abhimanyu Eshwaran or Sai Sudharsan.”<h3>India’s Test squad for England series – &nbsp;</h3>Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav

No Sai Sudharsan, three openers and captain Gill in Pujara’s top four for England Tests

The BCCI men’s selection committee picked a new-look 18-man squad for the England Tests starting June 20 in Leeds. In Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s absence owing to their Test retirement, the selectors picked ace batter Shubman Gill as the new Test skipper, with gloveman Rishabh Pant as his deputy. Meanwhile, Test veteran Cheteshwar Pujara voiced his opinion on Team India’s possible top four for the five-match Test series, including three openers and captain Gill. India’s top order shuffled a bit during their previous tour Down Under. Although KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal were the most successful pair of all, having stitched a match-winning partnership in the series opener in Perth, Rohit’s return to the side forced selectors to make a change for a game later in the series. Now that Rohit has retired, Rahul and Jaiswal might continue at the top in England, even in Pujara’s top four. Also read | Shubman Gill reacts to India’s Test captaincy role, urges to bring best out of players Speaking of the number third and fourth slots, Pujara said the question remains around Gill’s batting position, and unless it's cleared, it’s hard to pick the best number three for those seaming conditions. Although Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair’s selection suggested that selectors are keen on having a technically sound batter playing inside the top four, Pujara differs here, throwing a new name for the position he excelled in during his playing days. "The openers who batted in Australia in the BGT series - KL Rahul and Yashasvi should continue. Now talking about no.3, at this stage, we don't know whether Shubman will bat there or drop down to No.4," Pujara said during a chat show on Sony Sports Network. Pujara said if Gill bats at number four, one of Abhimanyu Eshwaran or Karun Nair could play at three. He, however, expressed his preference on where Gill should bat in the Test team. "If Shubman bats at No.4, then someone like Abhimanyu Eshwaran or Karun Nair could be a good fit at that position, but I would still like to see Shubman batting at No.3," he added. "Someone like Karun who has done very well in domestic cricket, I think the ideal position for Karun would be No.4. If Shubman bats at No.3, then Karun Nair comes at No.4. If Shubman bats at No.4, then at No.3 it would be a choice between Abhimanyu Eshwaran or Sai Sudharsan.” India’s Test squad for England series – Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav

Speaking of the number third and fourth slots, Pujara said the question remains around Gill’s batting position, and unless it's cleared, it’s hard to pick the best number three for those seaming conditions.

Sai Sudharsan earned his maiden India Test call-up for the forthcoming England series, and to him, it’s nothing less than surreal. Speaking for the first time since getting picked in the 18-man squad for the five-match Test series starting June 20 in Leeds, Sai said he realised his ultimate goal to play Test cricket. He also addressed the elephant in the room – his batting position.&nbsp;"It obviously feels great. Feels very special, to be honest, and surreal also. Any cricketer, any young cricketer who starts playing cricket, wants to play Test cricket, wants to play for the country," Sai said on the eve of the Gujarat Titans' match against the Chennai Super Kings. "The ultimate goal is always to play Test cricket. So really happy for that."&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-eng-vs-ind-2025-ajit-agarkar-breaks-silence-on-virat-kohli-rohit-sharma-test-retirement-calls-urges-fans-to-respect-it-and-move-on-1748094137496">Ajit Agarkar breaks silence on Virat and Rohit’s Test retirement calls, urges fans to ‘respect it and move on’</a> &nbsp;Following Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s Test retirements, Sai would likely make up for the new-look top-four in Test cricket. Although he usually opens for his state team (Tamil Nadu) in Ranji Trophy – India’s premier domestic tournament, he is willing to bat anywhere his team wants him to, further backing his mentality and skillset to deliver. &nbsp;“I think playing for the country itself is a very big privilege for a cricketer. So I don't think I am in a position to choose where I want to play," Sai replied when asked about his potential batting position in Tests.&nbsp; &nbsp;"Wherever the coaches tell me to play, I think I will be mentally and obviously skillfully, you know, try and be ready for the opportunity. &nbsp;"I have a lot of likings. I think I will have to be ready for whichever [position] the team gives me. I will be ready for that,” he continued.<h2>Sai congratulates Gill on the new role &nbsp;</h2>Batting alongside Shubman Gill at the top of the order for Gujarat Titans (GT) in IPL for two years, Sai congratulated his partner on getting appointed as Team India’s new Test captain, succeeding Rohit Sharma.&nbsp; &nbsp;"I mean, Shubhi (Shubman) is, over the years, I have been a part of his growth as well. I have seen him for the last four years. Such a talented batsman, such a skilful batsman, anybody can see. &nbsp;"So, I feel he will definitely do laurels and great things for the country, and I am grateful, and I am very happy to play under him in my first Test series,” Sai continued. &nbsp;However, before he and Gill join the India-A squad for their second four-day game of the shadow England tour (against England Lions in Northampton starting June 6), Sai has some unfinished business in IPL 2025, where he leads the run-scoring chart (638 runs) in 13 contested matches thus far. Besides, his team also stays in contention for a top-two finish.&nbsp; &nbsp;"I always feel, finish the first story, then go to the next one, because now the IPL is also most important when we are in the IPL," he said. "So, I think it is also most important of finishing this and then, obviously, we will have time to prepare. So I will use that bracket of days so that we will be ready for the Test series."

Special and surreal Sai Sudharsan reacts to his maiden Test call up for England series

Sai Sudharsan earned his maiden India Test call-up for the forthcoming England series, and to him, it’s nothing less than surreal. Speaking for the first time since getting picked in the 18-man squad for the five-match Test series starting June 20 in Leeds, Sai said he realised his ultimate goal to play Test cricket. He also addressed the elephant in the room – his batting position. "It obviously feels great. Feels very special, to be honest, and surreal also. Any cricketer, any young cricketer who starts playing cricket, wants to play Test cricket, wants to play for the country," Sai said on the eve of the Gujarat Titans' match against the Chennai Super Kings. "The ultimate goal is always to play Test cricket. So really happy for that." Also read | Ajit Agarkar breaks silence on Virat and Rohit’s Test retirement calls, urges fans to ‘respect it and move on’ Following Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s Test retirements, Sai would likely make up for the new-look top-four in Test cricket. Although he usually opens for his state team (Tamil Nadu) in Ranji Trophy – India’s premier domestic tournament, he is willing to bat anywhere his team wants him to, further backing his mentality and skillset to deliver. “I think playing for the country itself is a very big privilege for a cricketer. So I don't think I am in a position to choose where I want to play," Sai replied when asked about his potential batting position in Tests. "Wherever the coaches tell me to play, I think I will be mentally and obviously skillfully, you know, try and be ready for the opportunity. "I have a lot of likings. I think I will have to be ready for whichever [position] the team gives me. I will be ready for that,” he continued. Sai congratulates Gill on the new role Batting alongside Shubman Gill at the top of the order for Gujarat Titans (GT) in IPL for two years, Sai congratulated his partner on getting appointed as Team India’s new Test captain, succeeding Rohit Sharma. "I mean, Shubhi (Shubman) is, over the years, I have been a part of his growth as well. I have seen him for the last four years. Such a talented batsman, such a skilful batsman, anybody can see. "So, I feel he will definitely do laurels and great things for the country, and I am grateful, and I am very happy to play under him in my first Test series,” Sai continued. However, before he and Gill join the India-A squad for their second four-day game of the shadow England tour (against England Lions in Northampton starting June 6), Sai has some unfinished business in IPL 2025, where he leads the run-scoring chart (638 runs) in 13 contested matches thus far. Besides, his team also stays in contention for a top-two finish. "I always feel, finish the first story, then go to the next one, because now the IPL is also most important when we are in the IPL," he said. "So, I think it is also most important of finishing this and then, obviously, we will have time to prepare. So I will use that bracket of days so that we will be ready for the Test series."

Following Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s Test retirements, Sai would likely make up for the new-look top-four in Test cricket.

‘Special and surreal’: Sai Sudharsan reacts to his maiden Test call-up for England series

The BCCI selectors will announce India’s Test squad for the away England tour on Saturday (May 24), and per the latest reports, they are unlikely to take any surprising decisions. While ace batter Shubman Gill remains the frontrunner to succeed Rohit Sharma as the new Test captain, talks of selectors rewarding Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair with spots in the Test squad are doing the rounds.&nbsp;Following the IPL 2025 final on June 3, the Indian players will shift their attention to the five-match Test series against England starting June 20 in Leeds, for which the men's selection committee will meet in Mumbai over the weekend to finalise the squad.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-test-retirement-spree-continues-as-sri-lanka-batting-great-angelo-mathews-latest-to-call-time-on-red-ball-career-1747996581980">Test retirement spree continues as Sri Lanka batting great latest to call time on red-ball career</a> &nbsp;A Cricbuzz report suggests that barring a few names, the Test squad would likely look the same as that that travelled Down Under for the previous tour. Outside of the batting greats Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who announced their Test retirements earlier this month, the Indian Test team would appear almost similar. &nbsp;While the selectors are keen to have domestic giant Karun Nair on the board for the away England Tests, they are also sure of rewarding the left-handed Sudharsan for a brilliant batting display in the domestic tournaments and IPL 2025 lately.&nbsp; &nbsp;During the past season, Karun was among runs across formats, scoring 863 runs in nine Ranji Trophy games, including four centuries, and 779 in eight contested Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, bettering his hundreds’ record (five). &nbsp;On the other hand, Sudharsan, 23, is the leading run-getter thus far in IPL 2025, having scored 638 runs in 13 outings.&nbsp; &nbsp;Both batters are part of the India-A squad for the three-match shadow tour, including two against the England Lions and one against the senior men’s team. While Karun would depart with the first batch within two days, the selectors named Sai for the second match as his IPL team (Gujarat Titans) reached the playoffs, which will conclude with the final in the first week of June. &nbsp;However, unlike at GT, where he opens alongside Gill, Sai would not open in England, with the selectors likely sticking with the pair of KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top. Although the report suggested that head coach Gautam Gambhir has communicated his stance on the batting order, Sai’s batting position hasn’t been discussed yet.&nbsp; &nbsp;Also, given that Gill might move down to number four, taking over the spot that two former greats – Sachin Tendulkar and Kohli occupied for close to 30 years combined, one of Sai or Nair would bat at number three. &nbsp;Moreover, the selectors are also reported to have chatted about bringing back Test veteran Cheteshwar Pujara for the challenging England series; they are unlikely to go ahead with that as they wish to move forward and not fall back on their ageing stars.&nbsp;

Selectors to reward Sai Sudharsan Karun Nair in line for India return for England Tests Report

The BCCI selectors will announce India’s Test squad for the away England tour on Saturday (May 24), and per the latest reports, they are unlikely to take any surprising decisions. While ace batter Shubman Gill remains the frontrunner to succeed Rohit Sharma as the new Test captain, talks of selectors rewarding Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair with spots in the Test squad are doing the rounds. Following the IPL 2025 final on June 3, the Indian players will shift their attention to the five-match Test series against England starting June 20 in Leeds, for which the men's selection committee will meet in Mumbai over the weekend to finalise the squad. Also read | Test retirement spree continues as Sri Lanka batting great latest to call time on red-ball career A Cricbuzz report suggests that barring a few names, the Test squad would likely look the same as that that travelled Down Under for the previous tour. Outside of the batting greats Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who announced their Test retirements earlier this month, the Indian Test team would appear almost similar. While the selectors are keen to have domestic giant Karun Nair on the board for the away England Tests, they are also sure of rewarding the left-handed Sudharsan for a brilliant batting display in the domestic tournaments and IPL 2025 lately. During the past season, Karun was among runs across formats, scoring 863 runs in nine Ranji Trophy games, including four centuries, and 779 in eight contested Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, bettering his hundreds’ record (five). On the other hand, Sudharsan, 23, is the leading run-getter thus far in IPL 2025, having scored 638 runs in 13 outings. Both batters are part of the India-A squad for the three-match shadow tour, including two against the England Lions and one against the senior men’s team. While Karun would depart with the first batch within two days, the selectors named Sai for the second match as his IPL team (Gujarat Titans) reached the playoffs, which will conclude with the final in the first week of June. However, unlike at GT, where he opens alongside Gill, Sai would not open in England, with the selectors likely sticking with the pair of KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top. Although the report suggested that head coach Gautam Gambhir has communicated his stance on the batting order, Sai’s batting position hasn’t been discussed yet. Also, given that Gill might move down to number four, taking over the spot that two former greats – Sachin Tendulkar and Kohli occupied for close to 30 years combined, one of Sai or Nair would bat at number three. Moreover, the selectors are also reported to have chatted about bringing back Test veteran Cheteshwar Pujara for the challenging England series; they are unlikely to go ahead with that as they wish to move forward and not fall back on their ageing stars.

During the past domestic season, Karun was among runs across formats, scoring 863 runs in nine Ranji Trophy games, including four centuries, and 779 in eight contested Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, bettering his hundreds’ record (five).

Selectors to reward Sai Sudharsan; Karun Nair in line for India return for England Tests - Report

After securing the playoff berth this season, Gujarat Titans would look to retain their top performing players and carry them forward to the next season. With a strong core, the Ahmedabad based franchise will eye a strong team for IPL 2026 as well.

After securing the playoff berth this season, Gujarat Titans would look to retain their top performing players and carry them forward to the next season. With a strong core, the Ahmedabad based franchise will eye a strong team for IPL 2026 as well.

Orange cap, Purple cap… and Captain on the cards: Meet GT’s probable retention list post IPL 2025

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sai-sudharsan">Sai Sudharsan</a> cannot do anything wrong right now. The current <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025">IPL 2025</a> purple cap holder scored his second hundred in the competition the other night, his first this season, helping <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/gujarat-titans">Gujarat Titans (GT)</a> complete their highest successful run chase (205). GT has qualified for the IPL 2025 playoffs with 18 points from 12 contested matches. Also, Sai complimented Shubman Gill for his effective captaincy, pressing their cases for respective roles on India's upcoming Test tour of England.&nbsp;While the latest reports see Gill leading the Test captaincy race ahead of ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah and others like Rishabh Pant and even KL Rahul, the BCCI would likely rope in in-form batter Sai for the away five-match Test series starting June 20, making him play in the top order, likely at number three.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-boycott-asia-cup-2025-pakistan-pcb-acc-events-bcci-operation-sindoor-cricket-1747630295344">India to pull out of Asia Cup events in move to isolate Pakistan Cricket – Report</a> &nbsp;With this batting duo doing wonders for GT in IPL 2025, having already registered the most runs (839 and counting) by an Indian pair in a season, the team management and BCCI selectors must breathe easy.<h2>Sai praises Gill &nbsp;</h2>Having batted together for almost two seasons, Gill and Sai know each other's game. Praising his captain for guiding them through such run chases, Sai said, "When I got after the bowlers, he compliments me; we rotate strike and run really well. In the middle overs, running is a vital thing for us. When I make some mistakes, he makes me aware, and similarly, from my side as well." &nbsp;While the left-handed batter remained unbeaten 108 in 61 balls, hitting four sixes and 12 fours, Gill was not out on 93 from 53 balls, whacking seven biggies and three fours. In the first innings, KL Rahul hit 112* in 65 deliveries, timing four sixes and 14 fours to perfection. &nbsp;Sai, in particular, has been in tremendous touch this season, leading the run-scoring chart. The GT opener has collected 617 runs in 12 matches thus far, with his batting partner second on the list with 601 runs in as many outings.&nbsp;<h3>How did the IPL break help Sai? &nbsp;</h3>The BCCI was forced to suspend IPL 2025 on May 9 due to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, with the competition resuming nine days later on May 17. That break, however, did some good to Sai’s game. &nbsp;"There's a bit of joy when you finish games for the team," Sai Sudharsan said.&nbsp; &nbsp;"In the break we got, I was thinking on that [finishing games] a bit more. Between overs seven to ten, they bowled really well [DC conceded 30 to leave GT 93 without loss]. The momentum went down a bit. &nbsp;"We wanted to take the game deep, didn't want to be desperate to take a lot of chances, have a cool enough mindset to take the game deep. And we got two or three big overs that changed the game. In the previous games, I took chances and got out. Here, I was aware enough to take the game deep and take my chances against the right match-ups,” he explained after winning the Player of the Match award.&nbsp; &nbsp;Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS), alongside GT, have qualified for the IPL 2025 playoffs.&nbsp;

ENG Tests hopeful Sai Sudharsan credits captain Gill in DC win credits IPL break for heroic ton

Sai Sudharsan cannot do anything wrong right now. The current IPL 2025 purple cap holder scored his second hundred in the competition the other night, his first this season, helping Gujarat Titans (GT) complete their highest successful run chase (205). GT has qualified for the IPL 2025 playoffs with 18 points from 12 contested matches. Also, Sai complimented Shubman Gill for his effective captaincy, pressing their cases for respective roles on India's upcoming Test tour of England. While the latest reports see Gill leading the Test captaincy race ahead of ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah and others like Rishabh Pant and even KL Rahul, the BCCI would likely rope in in-form batter Sai for the away five-match Test series starting June 20, making him play in the top order, likely at number three. Also read | India to pull out of Asia Cup events in move to isolate Pakistan Cricket – Report With this batting duo doing wonders for GT in IPL 2025, having already registered the most runs (839 and counting) by an Indian pair in a season, the team management and BCCI selectors must breathe easy. Sai praises Gill Having batted together for almost two seasons, Gill and Sai know each other's game. Praising his captain for guiding them through such run chases, Sai said, "When I got after the bowlers, he compliments me; we rotate strike and run really well. In the middle overs, running is a vital thing for us. When I make some mistakes, he makes me aware, and similarly, from my side as well." While the left-handed batter remained unbeaten 108 in 61 balls, hitting four sixes and 12 fours, Gill was not out on 93 from 53 balls, whacking seven biggies and three fours. In the first innings, KL Rahul hit 112* in 65 deliveries, timing four sixes and 14 fours to perfection. Sai, in particular, has been in tremendous touch this season, leading the run-scoring chart. The GT opener has collected 617 runs in 12 matches thus far, with his batting partner second on the list with 601 runs in as many outings. How did the IPL break help Sai? The BCCI was forced to suspend IPL 2025 on May 9 due to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, with the competition resuming nine days later on May 17. That break, however, did some good to Sai’s game. "There's a bit of joy when you finish games for the team," Sai Sudharsan said. "In the break we got, I was thinking on that [finishing games] a bit more. Between overs seven to ten, they bowled really well [DC conceded 30 to leave GT 93 without loss]. The momentum went down a bit. "We wanted to take the game deep, didn't want to be desperate to take a lot of chances, have a cool enough mindset to take the game deep. And we got two or three big overs that changed the game. In the previous games, I took chances and got out. Here, I was aware enough to take the game deep and take my chances against the right match-ups,” he explained after winning the Player of the Match award. Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS), alongside GT, have qualified for the IPL 2025 playoffs.

While the latest reports see Gill leading the Test captaincy race ahead of ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah and others like Rishabh Pant and even KL Rahul, the BCCI would likely rope in in-form batter Sai for the away five-match Test series starting June 20, making him play in the top order.

ENG Tests hopeful Sai Sudharsan lauds captain Gill in DC win, credits IPL break for heroic ton

With Rohit Sharma retiring from Test cricket, here are 5 strong contenders who can take up the opener’s role for Team India. Sports Cricket Photos

From Sai Sudharsan to KL Rahul: Top 5 contenders to replace Rohit Sharma as India’s Test opener

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