New Delhi: India head coach Gautam Gambhir has thrown his weight behind young batter B Sai Sudharsan, confirming that he will continue to occupy the crucial No. 3 position in the upcoming Test against Afghanistan national cricket team despite a modest start to his Test career.
India will face Afghanistan in a one off Test at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium from Saturday, marking only the second red ball meeting between the two nations after their first encounter in 2018.
Sudharsan, who made his Test debut nearly a year ago, has struggled to fully establish himself despite being viewed as a long term option at No. 3. In 11 Test innings, he has scored 302 runs at an average of 27.45, including two half centuries and a highest score of 87. Although he has featured in three Test series, he has often found himself out of the playing eleven.
Speaking ahead of the match, Gambhir said the left hander deserved a longer run in the side before being judged. The coach pointed out that Sudharsan had played most of his Tests in challenging overseas conditions and had not yet received a sustained opportunity to prove his capabilities.
Gambhir also highlighted the batter’s impressive recent form, noting his prolific run scoring during the IPL season. According to the coach, evaluating a young player solely on the basis of a handful of matches would make it difficult for the team to build for the future.
The Afghanistan Test will also serve another important purpose for the Indian team management. Gambhir revealed that the match will help selectors identify a fourth specialist spinner for India’s two Test tour of Sri Lanka later this year.
Newly called up spinners Manav Suthar and Harsh Dubey will be closely monitored alongside established options such as Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar. Gambhir said the conditions in Sri Lanka would require India to travel with four spin options, making the upcoming Test a valuable assessment opportunity.
He added that the team is also planning ahead for future overseas assignments, including tours with vastly different playing conditions, underscoring the importance of building depth and flexibility within the Test squad.
Sorry, there was a YouTube error.
