Very special and surreal: Sai Sudharsan on getting maiden Test call-up

Sai Sudharsan was elated at making it to the Test squad.
| Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI

B. Sai Sudharsan had to work his fingers to the bone in domestic cricket, prove his mettle on the green tops of Surrey, and then annihilate bowlers in the ongoing IPL 2025 to finally break down the proverbial selectors’ door and earn his maiden Test call-up for the tour of England on Saturday.

As he addressed the media ahead of Gujarat Titans’ final league game against Chennai Super Kings, the Orange Cap holder looked visibly elated. “Feels great, very special, and surreal also. Any young cricketer wants to play Tests for the country. That’s the ultimate goal.”

The 23-year-old batter is ‘grateful’ to have Shubman Gill, his GT captain, double up as his Test skipper. “I have seen him for the last four years — such a talented and skillful batter. He will bring laurels to the country. Very happy to play under him in my first Test series,” Sai Sudharsan said.

Sridharan Sriram, CSK’s assistant bowling coach, heaped gushing praise on Sai Sudharsan. “He (Sai Sudharsan) is an amazing player, no doubt about it. The way he has blossomed as a batter over the past 24 months is phenomenal. If you purely look at it from a Tamil Nadu point of view, it is great for our State that a boy of such calibre is coming up the ranks. Can’t wait for him to make his Test debut and make our State and the country proud. I think he will end up as one of the best batters TN has had.”