Follow UsSai Sudharsan enjoyed another stellar IPL 2025 with the bat, amassing 759 runs in 15 matches at an impressive average of 54.21, leading the Orange Cap table. He also made significant strides in his strike rate, boosting it to 156.17. Yet, despite his numbers, Sudharsan may still not be a guaranteed pick for the Indian T20I squad for the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup at home.
Acknowledging this reality, Sudharsan admitted he still needs to work on several aspects of his batting to become a regular fixture in the national T20 side. “I mean, playing for the country is obviously a dream for everybody, so I would love to do that,” Sudharsan said after the IPL 2025 Eliminator loss to Mumbai Indians.
“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, that 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.”
For the majority of the season, Gujarat Titans held the top spot on the table, but their campaign faltered in the final stretch. Sai Sudharsan admitted that the loss left the team feeling a deep sense of dissatisfaction within the camp.
"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 environment because 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, when 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."
After Shubman Gill’s dismissal in the very first over, Sai Sudharsan attempted to steady the innings by building a partnership with Kusal Mendis, who contributed a quick 20 off 10 balls before being dismissed. Sudharsan then joined forces with his Tamil Nadu teammate Washington Sundar, guiding the team to 151/3.
"Yes, definitely a batter like Shubi when he gets out, it creates a little difficulty in the environment and of course in the game of play. So again, I was aware of it, and it was clear that we know how Kusal bhai can play. We've seen him play quite a lot of times in the nets, so I was confident enough that we could get those runs, of course.
“And I was believing in myself, I was even telling Kusal bhai that we can do it if we have a good play. And likewise, we had a fantastic powerplay. I think we believe more in ourselves and took the game forward, and the game was on course for a long period of time."