Sai Sudharsan "Focusing A Lot More On Being Versatile And Taking The Innings Longer"

Sai Sudharsan is prioritising versatility over high strike-rates heading into the IPL, as the Gujarat Titans opener returns from a rib-cage injury, having worked on his game to upgrade skills after a rough red-ball stint with the Indian Test team. The 24-year-old, who won the 'Orange Cap' with 759 runs at a strike-rate of around 145 last IPL season, didn't have a great time with the Indian Test team, aggregating 302 runs from six Test at a below-par average of 27.45. While he got a couple of half-centuries in 11 Test innings, by and large his performance was underwhelming.

"I think I was grateful enough for the experience. First thing, I am not looking at it as a low or I am not looking at it as a fail because it has shown me what I have to improve," Sudharsan told PTI in an interview ahead of the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League.

Playing for India has been an eye opener of sorts for the batter.

"It has shown me what I have to work on and grind when I go forward in Test cricket. So, I am not thinking of it as a failure. I am thinking it has given me an opportunity to work on more things and it is helping me to evolve.

"And obviously, it has made me believe in myself more," the genial southpaw said.

Sudharsan endured a torrid time towards the end of the last season as he didn't have big scores against South Africa and then sustained a rib cage injury while playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

He got a two-month break, and he turned adversity into an opportunity as he got time to work on his skills along with his childhood coach Jayakumar.

"Emotionally, I am not looking at it as a very low space or very difficult times because I've gotten an opportunity to work on my body and work on my batting," Sudharsan gave his perspective.

Manifesting chasing big scores

T20 as a format has undergone the fastest evolution in cricket, and Sudharsan's aim is to remain in sync and develop his own game instead of aping those who are beefing up the statistics.

"Since the game has also evolved for sure and the score is also evolving for sure. So, I think as batters, what can we do? What can be the combinations if we want to chase a very big total?

"So, I think I have put more effort on mentally how to look at those scores and obviously the decision-making for that. So, I think I have worked more on that," he said.

High strike-rate or versatility

The likes of Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi have changed the grammar of powerplay batting but Sudharsan, with a career strike rate of 139, doesn't want to reinvent the wheel that has given him a lot of success.

"I think it is important to have that versatility. It is important to look at it that way rather than just looking at just I want to improve my strike rate. Rather than that, I think I am looking to be more versatile."

The massive powerplay overs that teams are seeing nowadays are also dependent on a lot of variables.

"I think it depends so much on the conditions. It depends so much on a lot of variables. Yes, they (Abhishek, Sanju Samson, Sooryavanshi) have done a brilliant job. And as batters, we would love to and especially I would love to learn from that. And I would love to up my bar as well for sure."

For Sudharsan, it is all about how the team wants him to play.

"If the wicket is really good, yes, we will also have to do that (up the strike-rate). But if the wicket is tacky, if the wicket is a little difficult, we will have to be versatile enough to adapt to that as well. I think I am focusing a lot more on being versatile and taking the innings longer and making the team win."

Gill is a very trustworthy person

Having opened the batting with Shubman Gill for a number of years now, mutual trust has developed and he knows that he can speak about his doubts or mental frame with the GT captain.

"Shubman as a skipper is a very trustworthy person. He makes you feel that you belong to the team. He keeps you in a very good place.

"He is very instinctive. He knows what you are feeling. Most of the times, when I was feeling something in my mind, he used to tell me, 'I understand what you are feeling but you are there.

"At times, he would tell me something to make me feel a bit more positive or make me feel a bit more grounded. I think he is one of the great captains I have played under," Sudharsan didn't have an iota of doubt about Gill's leadership.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Topics mentioned in this article

Cricket Gujarat Titans IPL 2026 Sai Sudharsan