In the second Test of the ongoing India-West Indies series, one could observe an interesting stat – Sai Sudharsan hadn’t played a single false shot when he completed 50 runs. Granted that the No. 3 batter wasn’t playing on a raging turner, and also that he will end up facing better spinners in the future than the motley assortment of bowlers assembled for the New Delhi Test. But the control percentage on display said enough about Sudharsan’s ability to pick the length early and play late.
Sudharsan is one of those players who has the gift-wrapped skills to go right back and use the depth of the crease against spin bowling. Sitanshu Kotak, the batting coach of the Indian team, had this to say in the post-match press conference. “Sai, obviously, coming from Tamil Nadu, they play a lot on turning wickets,” he said. “So, he is pretty good against spin. I think his back-foot game, and some shots he plays on the back foot, not many players play, or a lot of balls which he negotiates on the back foot, most of the players would negotiate it off the front foot.”
In his brief career, Sudharsan has also showcased that he has the temperament to navigate difficult situations. Jog your memory back to last year’s Duleep Trophy, where his valiant 111 was the cornerstone of India C’s fightback against India A. A few months later, he notched up a hundred against Australia A, in their own backyard. Not surprisingly, on that occasion, too, the team he was playing for – India A – had found itself in trouble in the second innings.
Despite all the fine qualities in his batting template, Sudharsan still has a long way to go if he is to fulfil his potential. Playing in only his fifth Test, the left-hand batter averages a fraction under 30 and has only two fifties to his name so far.
His detractors would also point to how his head tends to fall away while facing the pace bowlers. But here is one cricketer who is worth persevering with. When Sudharsan walks out to bat, he seems to be unfazed by whether his team is in a spot of bother or not. For the Indian management, his batting is a long-term project that needs some polishing.
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