Follow UsHaving made his Test debut against England in the first Test at Headingley, Sai Sudharsan was dropped for the next two games. However, he returned to the XI in the crucial fourth Test in Manchester and scored a patient 61.
He was roped into the team in place of Karun Nair, who could not convert his starts to big scores. Sudharsan, as a result, got that opportunity and has made it count. Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin believes that the Tamil Nadu batter must own the No. 3 spot and give the team some solidity.
“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 said on his YouTube channel, as reported by Times of India.
Despite being well set, Ashwin is disappointed that the southpaw did not go on to get his maiden hundred.
Comparing Sudharsan to greats like Rahul Dravid and Cheteshwar Pujara, 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.”
While Ashwin was pleased with the way Sudharsan went, he was not too happy with the way the team management handled Nair. The batter was initially slotted in at six, but in the last two Tests, he played at three. Ashwin believes Nair had a mindset block as a result.
“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.
Other than Sudharsan, Yashasvi Jaiswal also slammed a fifty on Day 1 as India finished on 264/4.