Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan at Oval (Source: AP Photos)
India and England are in the middle of the last game of the five-match Test series at the Oval. India are batting first on a pitch that has good help for the bowlers, and the English pacers have done quite well so far.
India lost two early wickets, and it was the partnership between Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan that brought India on safer shores. It was not a big stand but a gritty one on a tough pitch, and the camaraderie that the two share because of their partnerships in the IPL was quite evident.
Ashish Nehra Unintentionally Dons GT Coach Role During Oval Test
Interestingly, the on-air commentator during their partnership was Ashish Nehra, the coach of Gujarat Titans in the IPL. He has been an invaluable part of the franchise, and as Sudharsan and Gill got together, Nehra could not stop himself visualising the two players in GT colours.
In a clip posted by the official X handle of Sony Sports Network, Ashish Nehra is seen telling in Hindi that as batters play more and more balls, things will not be easy for the bowlers. He then goes onto say that despite good bowling, both the batters have not got out and then suddenly realised that he is moving to his IPL zone.
In IPL 2025, GT followed the same template where Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill batted long and did not lose their wicket, which ultimately played a big role in their success. Nehra probably realised that he was getting carried away with the same GT template while speaking about Gill and Sai Sudharsan, and then cheekily apologised for it.
Nehra, known for his funny remarks, then stated that he is the victim of his habit as a GT coach, and it sparked a huge laughter in the commentary box.
"Aur jaise jaise ballebazz zada gende khelegne, bator gendbazz aasan nahi. Par bilkul sahi, inn dono ne abhi tak dab daba banake rakhaa hai, par bhi koi out nahi hua. Oh, sorry, mujhe laga GT ka match chal raha hai. Sorry, sorry bharat ka match hai, mai kya karu meri aadat aise hogaye," Nehra said during commentary in 5th Test.
However, both Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan could not carry their good starts and the former lost his wicket off a run-out. The Indian captain scored 21 while Sai Sudharsan scored 38 after battling hard for 108 balls, but their brief partnership in the whites surely brought back memories of their exploits in IPL 2025.
