Parthiv Patel on Sudharsan's struggle (Source: @mufaddal_vohra/x.com, @SPORTYVISHAL/x.com)
The red ball thrills are back in India as Team India is facing the West Indies in a two-match Test series. As the first match is underway in Ahmedabad, Sai Sudharsan’s early dismissal grabbed the attention.
Batting in the first innings, the Tamil Nadu batter walked away scoring only 7 runs, and that sparked criticism. Reflecting on his struggles, former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel suggested that the No. 3 spot might be weighing heavily on him, adding pressure instead of bringing out his best.
Is the No. 3 position a burden for Sudharsan?
After Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s Test retirements, Team India is going through a transformation. To fill their void, Sai Sudharsan stepped into the number three position after making his debut against England. However, the young left-hander has looked unsettled at this pivotal position in the ongoing clash, and his struggles haven’t gone unnoticed.
Coming to bat at number three, Sudharsan failed to capitalize on the opportunity, falling LBW for just seven runs. Speaking on Star Sports, former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel advised the youngster to remain calm and composed in such pressure-filled moments.
“Sai Sudharsan looked a bit tentative today. He usually uses his feet really well, especially against left-arm spinners. With left-handed batters, 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,” he said.
The wait for Sudharsan’s breakthrough continues
As Team India entered a new arena in Test cricket under Shubman Gill’s captaincy, Sudharsan made his Test debut in England, in the first Test of the five-match Test series. After a disappointing duck in his first innings, he managed just 30 runs in the second.
In seven innings, he scored just 147 runs, and his lone half-century in the format came in the second Test against England at Manchester. Despite being entrusted with the pivotal No. 3 spot by the team management, he is still searching for a defining moment to cement his place.
