How Sai Sudharsan fared on his Test debut: Key stats
What's the story
Batter B Sai Sudharsan made his Test debut for India in the ongoing first match against England at Headingley, Leeds. Although the left-handed batter had a disappointing outing in the first innings, getting out for a four-ball duck, he managed a 48-ball 30 in the second. Notably, Sudharsan's uncanny visualization technique to mentally prepare himself also made headlines. Here are the details and stats.
Match update
Sudharsan's performance in the two innings
Sudharsan, who received his debut Test cap, was tasked with the coveted Number 3 spot at Headingley. In the first innings, he came out after openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal added 91 runs. However, his four-ball stay was ended by England skipper Ben Stokes. Stokes also dismissed Sudharsan in the second innings. However, the latter looked solid this time, scoring 30 off 48 balls (4 fours).
Routine insights
How Sudharsan earned Test cap
Sudharsan was picked in the Indian XI ahead of Abhimanyu Easwaran. He had a stellar Indian Premier League 2025 season, scoring 759 runs for Gujarat Titans and winning the Orange Cap. Despite a modest First-Class record, his technique, temperament, consistency, and strokeplay make him an attractive prospect. Sudharsan currently has a First-Class average of around 40 with over 1,950 runs.
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Sudharsan in elite company
Sudharsan was awarded his maiden Test cap by Cheteshwar Pujara ahead of the game, on June 20. Interestingly, several Indian greats including Sourav Ganguly (1996), Rahul Dravid (1996), and Virat Kohli (2011) also earned their maiden Test caps on the same date.
Preparation method
Sudharsan visualizes with helmet on
As mentioned, Sudharsan's visualization technique to prepare himself to bat did the rounds on social media. In a video shared by the Sony Sports Network, Sudharsan was seen holding the ball and following its movement, sitting in the dugout. Speaking about his preparation during IPL 2025, Sudharsan had said, "In terms of preparation, I feel that the most important thing for me is visualization and putting in hard work in practice."