Follow UsFormer India coach Ravi Shastri said that India should consider left-handed batter Sai Sudharsan and left-arm bowler Khaleel Ahmed for their Test tour of England, which will be held post Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
“I see this young man, Sai Sudharsan, for all formats of the game. He seems like a class player and my eyes would be on him certainly,” Shastri was quoted as saying to The ICC Review.
Sudharsan has been a sensation in IPL 2025 with 504 runs in 10 innings at an audacious average of 50 and a strike rate of 154.
It was therefore easy for Shastri to rate him as the best choice as a left-handed batter to be in the side.
“Being a left-hander in England, knowing English conditions, and just his technique, the way he plays, I think he’ll be top of the list for me from the outsiders wanting to get into this side,” said the 62-year-old.
Similarly, among the bowlers too, Shastri wanted a left-armer in the side to exploit the conditions. Talking about who should be picked, the former all-rounder named Arshdeep Singh and Khaleel Ahmed as the top two choices.
“I don’t like it when they say someone like Arshdeep Singh is a ‘white-ball specialist’. You need a left-armer, go and find him, whoever it is and whoever is the best of the lot – pick them. There’s Khaleel Ahmed, who, again, his rhythm is good, he’s bowling well. So it’s important to get that mix,” he said.