IND vs SA: 'Don't Get Out In 50s, 60s': Sunil Gavaskar's No Nonsense Verdict On India Star
The three-match ODI series is currently tied at 1-1 with the final match in Paarl later on Thursday.
With half-centuries in his first two matches, young India batter Sai Sudharsan has caught the eye of batting great Sunil Gavaskar. Sudharsan, who plays for Tamil Nadu in the domestic circuit, made his India debut in the first ODI of the ongoing tour of South Africa. He scored a half-century on debut and then followed it up with yet another 50+ score in the second match of the series. Impressed with the young soutbpaw, Gavaskar, however, wants Sudharsan to convert his half centuries into hundreds.
"Yes, he looks very, very good. A very compact player plays close to his body, and has got a good very still head. So balance is very good when he's playing. And, of course, when he plays drives like that. Left-handers can be so elegant when they play, they can play the pull shot as well. But basically, his temperament and talent are very, very nice," Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
"Now it's a matter of them sort of carrying on from here and not being satisfied and I'm sure he's not being satisfied. You don't want to be getting out in the 50s and 60s. When you bat up the order, you have the opportunity to score a 100 every time. So I think that is what he's got to grab so that somebody will be talking only about who will partner Sai Sudharsan at the top," he added.
The three-match ODI series is currently tied at 1-1 with the final match in Paarl later on Thursday.
In the series opener, pacer Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan set up a convincing eight-wicket win for India in Johannesburg.
Sudharsan went on to make an elegant unbeaten 55 off 43 balls with nine fours.
In the last match, India were bowled out for 211 despite half-centuries by Sai Sudharsan (62) and captain KL Rahul (56).
Left-arm fast bowler Nandre Burger and opening batter Tony de Zorzi took South Africa to a series-levelling eight-wicket win in Gqeberha.
The third ODI will be followed by a two-match Test series, starting with the first Test in Centurion from December 26.
(With AFP Inputs)
India Cricket Team
South Africa Cricket Team
Sunil Gavaskar
KL Rahul