Former India cricketer-turned commentator Parthiv Patel believes Sai Sudharsan is under pressure to secure a spot at number three in the Indian Test team.
On Day 1 of the first Test match against the West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Sudharsan was removed for 7 (19), marking yet another disappointing performance in his short career.
During his brief stint at the crease, the southpaw appeared utterly unprepared as he struggled to make a decision with his footwork while facing spinners from all over the wicket. When he attempted to draw a full delivery from Roston Chase, he was eventually bowled leg before wicket, giving the West Indies a late victory in the play of the day.
After his subpar performance, Patel stated that the youngster needed to maintain composure because he appeared hesitant at the crease during his brief visit.
“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,” said Patel on Star Sports.
With only 147 runs from seven innings at an average of 21 and only one half-century to his name, Sudharsan has not had a very noteworthy start to his career. He hit a half-century (61) in his second Test in Manchester after beginning his career with a duck in the first Test in England.
But since then, he has not been as consistent, drawing criticism for his lackluster performances. As Mohammed Siraj (4/40) and Jasprit Bumrah (3/42) bowled out the West Indies for just 162, India concluded Day 1 in a dominant position. India trailed by 41 runs in the first innings and ended the day at 121/2 in reply. Together with Shubman Gill (18*), KL Rahul struck an incredible half-century (53*) to lead India to the wickets.