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India No. 3 Woes Roll On: Will Sai Be The ‘Sudarshana Chakra’ That Breaks The Curse?

Jatin

Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair [Source: @ImTanujSingh/x.com]Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair [Source: @ImTanujSingh/x.com]

If there is one position in India’s Test batting line-up that has turned into a musical chair of sorts, it is the No. 3 spot. Ever since Cheteshwar Pujara was shown the door after the 2023 WTC Final loss to Australia, Team India has been scratching its head trying to find someone who can plug that big, gaping hole.

And here we are, deep into the England series, still asking: who is going to be India’s Mr. Reliable at No. 3?

The fourth Test at Old Trafford kicked off with India staring down the barrel in the five-match series. With their backs to the wall, the team management has once again reached for the reset button, this time dropping Karun Nair and handing the number three spot back to the young and promising Sai Sudharsan.

With this call, it is clear that the No. 3 spot has turned into a revolving door. It is not just a selection dilemma anymore; it’s a full-blown identity crisis. 

Let’s break down how India managed to turn one of the most iconic batting positions into the most unstable one in the current setup.

From The Wall To The Fall

Not too long ago, India had it easy. That number three spot was locked up by Cheteshwar Pujara, who took over from none other than Rahul Dravid, a man who built a whole career on eating up overs and tiring out bowlers for fun. Pujara carried that torch beautifully by staying put and batting like a monk.

He played 94 Tests at that spot, scored 6,529 runs at 44.41 with 18 tons and 32 fifties. But when he started losing touch, the management decided to move on and in the process, they opened a Pandora’s box they are still trying to shut.

Shubman Gill: The Prince Who Couldn’t Hold Court

First up in the post-Pujara era was Shubman Gill. A classy stroke-maker, blessed with time, technique and temperament. But after some poor outings at the top and his willingness to bat at No. 3, he was shifted to the spot.

In the away series against West Indies and South Africa, Gill’s scores read: 6, 10, 29*, 2, 26, 36, and 10. He had this habit of getting starts and throwing them away like candy. Naturally, fans started questioning whether he had it in him to bat at one of the most crucial spots in Test cricket.

Then came the home season. Flat decks, friendly bowling, familiar settings. Gill turned it around: 760 runs in 17 innings, average 50.66, 3 centuries, 3 fifties. And the critics? Silenced, for a bit. But Australia was the real test and it came hard.

Australia Tour: The Real Litmus Test

Gill missed the Perth Test due to injury. Devdutt Padikkal, fresh off a fifty at home against England, got a shot. The result? A 23-ball duck and a laboured 25 in the second dig.

Gill returned for the Adelaide pink-ball Test and managed 31 and 28. Looked decent, but again, didn’t convert. Brisbane was worse as he scored just one run.

With Rohit Sharma moving to open after failing in the middle order, KL Rahul got a crack at No. 3. A veteran of changing roles, Rahul flopped again with scores of 24 and a duck. Back to the top he went for Sydney, giving Gill another shot at three. He scored 20 and 13. Another series, another failure.

Gill’s final scorecard at No. 3: 1,019 runs in 30 innings across 17 Tests, average of 37.74, 3 hundreds, 3 fifties, all at home.

Post-Kohli-Rohit Transition – Enter Nair and Sudharsan

With Rohit and Kohli hanging up their Test boots ahead of the new WTC cycle in 2025, KL Rahul filled the opening vacancy. Gill moved down to No. 4, leaving the No. 3 chair open once again.

Karun Nair got a return ticket after a dream domestic season. Sai Sudharsan, another bright prospect, was thrown into the deep end as he had a sensational IPL 2025 where he won the Orange Cap with 759 runs.

In the Leeds Test, Sudharsan batted at 3 and scored 0 and 30. So Nair, who had been batting at six, was pushed up to three. He responded with scores of 31 and 26 at Birmingham, then 40 and 14 at Lord’s. Good starts, but nothing to write home about.

Five Men, One Giant Void To Fill

Since ditching Pujara, India have tried five different men at No. 3 in just 20 Tests: Gill, KL, Padikkal, Sudharsan and Nair. Across these 20 matches, the men tried at three have scored a combined 1,209 runs at a modest average of 32.67. The only three centuries and three fifties came from Gill, all at home.

Not one batter has managed to truly own that spot. And as things stand now, Sai Sudharsan has been brought back in for the Manchester Test after Nair failed to click.

Conclusion

The No. 3 spot is the bridge between chaos and control. Right now, India’s bridge is cracked and shaky. And every new face is either falling through or struggling to build it back up.

Until someone grabs that spot with both hands, India’s top-order will continue to play musical chairs and the team will keep paying the price.

So, is Sai Sudharsan finally the man to fix this mess? Or will he be just another name on a very long list? We will find out. 

But for now, India’s No. 3 conundrum continues!