Follow UsIn the Kolkata Test against South Africa, India opted for a heavy bowling attack with four spinners and two fast bowlers, a choice that pushed Sai Sudharsan out of the XI. Sudharsan’s exclusion came despite an impressive 87 in the second Test against West Indies in Delhi, a knock which was viewed as a step towards cementing his place at No. 3. Sudharsan has scored 273 runs in five Tests so far at No. 3, including two half-centuries.
India’s decision to drop him revived long-standing concerns about the revolving-door nature of the position since the departures of Rahul Dravid and Cheteshwar Pujara, who held the role for nearly two decades with consistency. Karun Nair also auditioned at number three during the Test series in England.
Aakash Chopra, former India batter, has strongly criticised India’s decision to leave out Sudharsan for the Kolkata Test against South Africa, arguing that the move reflects deeper issues in the team’s approach to developing a long-term No. 3 batter.
“If you’re not convinced with Sai Sudharsan’s batting after what he did in Delhi, then why is he still in the squad? Why keep him in the team? It can’t be that just because you need fifteen players, you include him even though you have no belief in him. That’s not how it works. So their thinking — I don’t understand it,” Chopra said, as quoted by India Today.
“Let me play devil’s advocate. There were three spinners, two fast bowlers, and the West Indies didn’t get bowled out by us the second time. And it was a flat pitch; maybe they felt they wouldn’t bowl them out, so they wanted one more bowler. I don’t think the decision had anything to do with batting. If Washington plays, or if Axar plays, they will score so many runs that you won’t miss Sai Sudharsan’s batting contribution. That happens.”
Chopra affirmed that winning alone cannot justify inconsistent backing for young batters, and asked the team management to stop the musical chairs that’s happening for the number three position in the team.
“When the team is winning, that becomes one part of cricket, but the second part is preparing players and taking them forward. And Sai Sudharsan, yes, he scored runs and still got dropped. If you’re not in the playing XI, that doesn’t mean you suddenly become a useless player. India has a chance here to prepare their players.
“The No. 3 spot cannot become a game of musical chairs. Rahul Dravid, Cheteshwar Pujara — if you don’t identify the right guy now, then what? There was Karun Nair, maybe next time you’ll see Abhimanyu Easwaran and then Sai doesn’t get prepared at all.”