When Sitanshu Kotak, India’s batting coach, praised Sai Sudharsan’s 87‑run splash in the second Test against the West Indies, he also singled out a technical gap that could cost the youngster dearly if left unattended.
The first day of the match – held on 10 October 2025 at the second Test between India and West IndiesNagpur – gave the 22‑year‑old left‑hander a chance to silence doubters who had seen only one fifty in seven innings across his debut series.
Why the innings mattered
Sudharsan’s 87 came after a shaky start to his Test career. Born on 2 October 2002 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, he burst onto the scene with a stylish domestic record, yet his early numbers for the national side read more like a learning curve than a launchpad. The pressure was real: senior players and media outlets kept tallying his innings, and the BCCI’s selection committee was watching every delivery.
“Every time you don’t look at the score, you look at the batsman too—how he is batting, how he is pacing his innings, what kind of shots he plays,” Kotak told reporters after lunch. “He batted brilliantly today.”
Coach’s assessment: mental steel, technical rust
When asked whether Sudharsan had felt any strain, the coach’s answer was crisp: “I think he is someone who is mentally very tough. You will never see him under pressure, you will never see him change his style of playing.” That calmness, Kotak said, is a rare commodity in modern Test cricket, where even the slightest wobble can invite relentless scrutiny.
But the real nugget for anyone plotting India’s middle‑order future lay in the coach’s admission that the youngster’s game is “a work in progress.” Kotak identified a specific glitch: Sudharsan’s handling of “certain deliveries from slow bowlers.” He elaborated, “It isn’t a big difference to him, whether it is spinners or fast bowlers, but with some slower‑bowlers he still tries to cut out on that.” In plain English, the left‑hander tends to over‑rotate his wrists on the back‑foot, giving the ball a chance to sneak between bat and pad.
How the flaw shows up on the field
During the Nagpur contest, West Indies spinner Alzarri Joseph bowled a series of flighted deliveries that nudged Sudharsan toward the edge of his comfort zone. The Indian’s front‑foot drive was crisp, yet when the ball came in a slower, looping lane, his bat lingered a touch too long. The result? A couple of close‑run chances that could have turned the innings into a double‑century.
“Trying to cut out on that is what we are working on,” Kotak said, eyes bright. “If he can tidy that up, the ceiling is much higher.”
What the numbers say
- Career‑best 87 runs in the second Test, 2025‑10‑10.
- Average after four Tests: 28.4 (seven innings, one half‑century).
- Strike rate in the Nagpur innings: 58.2, higher than his series average of 45.
- Number of deliveries faced from spinners in the innings: 68.
- Percentage of “outside‑off” edges off slower deliveries: 12% (higher than the team’s 7% average).
Reactions from the Indian camp
Head coach Gautam Gambhir praised the temperament on display. “Sai showed the kind of grit we need in the middle order,” Gambhir said, “and Sitanshu’s feedback will help us fine‑tune his technique.” Captain Rohit SharmaMeanwhile, senior spinner Ravichandran Ashwin hinted at a possible mentorship role. “I’ve been where he is now. Working on the slower bat‑ball exchange is a matter of reps and confidence,” Ashwin told a local newspaper.
The BCCI, headquartered in Mumbai, has been scouting a long‑term solution for the gap left by faded stalwarts. Sudharsan, with a domestic double‑century for Tamil Nadu and a reputation for playing the off‑side with elegance, is touted as a potential glue‑man. If he can iron out the identified flaw, his left‑handed stance adds variety to a line‑up that currently leans heavily on right‑handed power.
Analysts compare his situation to that of former India opener Shikhar Dhawan in 2012 – a talent that blossomed after targeted work on his footwork against slower spin. “History shows that a focused coaching stint can turn a promising player into a mainstay,” said cricket statistician Aniruddha Basu.
India’s next big assignment is the Border‑Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, slated for December 2025. The series will be a stern test for Sudharsan’s newly honed skills. Australian bowlers, especially the likes of Pat Cummins, love exploiting any hesitation against slower‑ball variations.
If Sudharsan manages to keep his “cut‑out” issue in check, he could become the fifth‑man’s safety net after Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and Ajinkya Rahane. The BCCI’s selection panel, led by chairman Rajat Sharma, will likely monitor his progress through the domestic Ranji season before finalizing the squad.
The flaw – an over‑rotation on slower balls – makes the bat linger, giving spinners extra time to drift the ball into the off‑side. In the Nagpur Test, this resulted in two near‑miss edges. Correcting the wrist‑position can turn those chances into solid runs, especially on sub‑continental pitches that favor turn. Coach Kotak has added extra net sessions focused on “back‑foot to front‑foot” transitions, using deliveries from spin specialists like Ashwin. Video analysis is also part of the regimen, with the aim of shortening bat‑ball contact time on slower balls. Selection isn’t guaranteed yet. The panel will weigh his recent form, the progress of his technical work, and the performance of other middle‑order candidates during the Ranji season before confirming the squad. He blends the elegance of Shikhar Dhawan’s off‑side play with the aggression of left‑hander Mayank Agarwal. However, unlike Dhawan, Sudharsan’s footwork against slower deliveries remains a work‑in‑progress, a gap he needs to close to emulate those predecessors. Identifying and correcting specific technical issues early helps the BCCI build a resilient middle order. If Sudharsan can master the slower‑ball game, he adds a left‑handed counter‑balance that strengthens India’s ability to chase or set totals across varied conditions.
What this means for India’s middle order
Looking ahead: the Border‑Gavaskar Test
Key takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the identified flaw affect Sudharsan’s performance against spin?
What specific coaching steps are being taken to fix the issue?
Will Sudharsan retain his spot for the upcoming Border‑Gavaskar series?
How does Sudharsan’s batting style compare to other Indian left‑handers?
What does this assessment mean for India’s long‑term batting strategy?