Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Sai Sudharsan scored double hundred (213 runs) against Delhi in round 2 game. Will Sudharsan be considered as a reserve opener for Australia tour?
Sai Sudharsan is among the best young batting talents in the country and has been in the domestic circuit for a couple of years now. Coming into the limelight through the Tamil Nadu Premier League 2021 season, the 23-year-old has made himself a permanent member of the state side.
He was awarded a contract with the Gujarat Titans in the IPL, where he showcased his true potential at the highest level. This put him under the radar for national selection, and he already has four caps (3 ODIs and a T20I) across the limited-overs formats for India. The start to his India career has been decent, featuring a couple of half-centuries.
Being a top-order left-hand batter, it would be a matter of time before he is in the reckoning for the India Test team as well.
What should be Sai Sudharsan's mantra to warrant a national Test call-up?
For starters, he needs to do more of what he has done in the second round of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 against Delhi at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Opening the batting for Tamil Nadu (TN), the left-hander scored his maiden double-century in first-class cricket in his 26th game.
Before this innings, Sudharsan didn’t make much out of the opportunities. He was selected for India C in the recently concluded Duleep Trophy but could make just a solitary 50+ plus score (111) in six knocks and managed just 32 in the only innings he played for Rest of India against Mumbai.
So, it was important for the left-hander to make a big tally of runs in the on-going Ranji Trophy for TN. He did score a well-compiled 82 in the side’s victorious game against Saurashtra, but it is not the kind of knock that would make people notice him.
Hence this superlative knock of 213 from just 275 balls came at the right time. He played some attractive drives and dominated the pacers and spinners alike with his exhilarating stroke play. The youngster negated any help from the seamers that was on offer initially and forged two massive partnerships, 168 for the opening wicket with Narayan Jagadeesan (65), and 232 for the second wicket with Washington Sundar (152).
Batting with a rollicking strike rate of 77.73, Sudharsan showcased all the attributes of a new-age confident young batter that the India Test team craves.
The road ahead
The aim for any youngster should be to play Test cricket, and the case of Sai Sudharsan would and should be no different. He has the talent it takes to represent the country in red-ball cricket. But for it to come to fruition, the left-hander needs consistent scores across all conditions, both in India as well as overseas.
The TNCA has also announced that the youngster will travel to Australia with the India A side. Hopefully, he gives a good account of himself on the fast-bouncy pitches of Australia and continues this rich run of form.
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