Sai Sudharsan, despite his promising start and strong performances in domestic cricket, has encountered challenges in establishing himself in international Test cricket. Parthiv Patel, a former India wicketkeeper-batter and current batting coach for Gujarat Titans, explained that Sudharsan’s struggles are partly due to the pressure to secure the No. 3 spot in the team.
“Despite his strong first-class record, he averages 21 in Tests,” Patel said. “He usually uses his feet really well, especially against left-arm spinners. But today, he looked a bit tentative. We know that as soon as a left-arm spinner comes in, we try to rotate the strike and wait for the right ball to go after. But I thought Sai Sudharsan was probably feeling a bit of pressure to score big runs and secure that number three position. He just needs to stay calm.”
Rusty In 1st Innings
Sudharsan’s first innings in the current series was modest, scoring only seven runs after being bowled LBW by Roston Chase. This comes after he registered 140 runs over three Tests, with only three scores of more than 30 and a single crossing 50, averaging just 21. This contrasts sharply with his overall first-class average of 40.43, indicating the difficulty he faces in translating domestic success to the international stage.
His recent form leading up to the series included a standout performance for India A against Australia A, where he scored a century and two half-centuries across two unofficial Tests. However, the initial step into Test cricket at the senior level has been tough, with critics questioning whether the pressure to secure the No. 3 role is affecting his performance.
Meanwhile, the Indian selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar, have expressed their intention to give Sudharsan a long-term opportunity. Agarkar stated, “It’s about continuity. We want to give him time to settle into the role. We know he’s a very good player, and we hope to give him a longish run so he can build his career steadily.” Prior to this, Sudharsan had impressed in domestic and IPL formats, including a remarkable season in 2025 where he scored 759 runs, winning the Orange Cap and making history as the youngest player to do so.
Squads
India Squad
Shubman Gill (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, N Jagadeesan, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (w), Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Devdutt Padikkal, Nitish Kumar Reddy
West Indies Squad
Roston Chase (c), Shai Hope (w), John Campbell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Alick Athanaze, Brandon King, Justin Greaves, Khary Pierre, Johann Layne, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales, Jomel Warrican, Jediah Blades, Kevlon Anderson, Tevin Imlach
