How did Sai Sudharsan fare in his debut Test series?
What's the story
Sai Sudharsan, a promising talent who shone in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, blew hot and cold in the ongoing five-match Test series against England. Playing his debut Test series, the southpaw finished with 140 runs from six innings at a paltry average of 22.75. Notably, all his outings came at number three. Here we analyse Sudharsan's performance in his maiden Test series.
Debut
Sudharsan debuted ahead of Easwaran
Sudharsan was handed his maiden Test cap in the series opener at Leeds. The southpaw was picked in the XI ahead of Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has been around India's Test team for a while now. His debut came on the back of the stellar IPL 2025, where he scored 759 runs for the Gujarat Titans and won the Orange Cap.
Dropped
Dropped after one Test
Although Sudharsan was dismissed for a four-ball duck in his maiden innings, he managed a 48-ball 30 in the second. The batter was dropped for the second and third match as India opted for an extra bowling option, and Karun Nair was promoted to number three. However, the left-handed batter made a comeback in the fourth Test.
Fifty
Fifty in Manchester
Sudharsan celebrated his comeback with a fifty on Day 1 of the Manchester Test. He came out to bat after opener KL Rahul departed for 46. Alongside Rishabh Pant, Sudharsan propelled India past 200 and reached his half-century during the course. The number three batter ended up scoring 61 off 151 balls. His composed knock had just 7 fours.
Innings
His other outings in the series
The third innings of the Manchester game saw Sudharsan bag his second duck of the series. On a tough Day 1 pitch in the fifth Test at The Oval, the southpaw made a brisk 38 off 108 balls before departing. He could only manage 11 runs off 29 balls in his final outing of the series.
Prospects
Will Sudharsan get another go?
Though it wasn't a dream debut Test series for Sudharsan, he has shown signs of tackling the swinging red cherry in tough conditions. Moreover, he is just 23 and has troubled the best of bowlers with his consistent show in the IPL. His rock-solid technique is another reason why the team management can continue to invest in him.
FC stats
Here are his FC numbers
Sudharsan made his First-Class debut during the 2022/23 Ranji Trophy. The Tamil Nadu batter raced past 2,000 FC runs en route to his fifty in the Manchester Test (now 2,097). With an average of 38-plus across 32 games, he owns seven tons and five half-centuries. India's next Test assignment will be a two-Test series against the West Indies at home, starting October 2.