logo
#

Latest news with #Sudharsan

'Gambhir era not holding back': India head coach slammed for dropping Sai Sudharsan after his debut match
'Gambhir era not holding back': India head coach slammed for dropping Sai Sudharsan after his debut match

First Post

time11 hours ago

  • Sport
  • First Post

'Gambhir era not holding back': India head coach slammed for dropping Sai Sudharsan after his debut match

Sai Sudharsan has been dropped after just one Test match, sparking criticism of India head coach Gautam Gambhir and the team management. read more Sai Sudharsan made his Test debut in the first match of the series. Image: AFP The Indian team management, led by new head coach Gautam Gambhir, is facing criticism after dropping young batter Sai Sudharsan for the second Test against England at Edgbaston. Sudharsan, who made his debut in the first Test of the series, was left out after just one game, a move that hasn't gone down well with many fans. Captain Shubman Gill announced three changes at the toss. Jasprit Bumrah was rested, while Shardul Thakur and Sudharsan were dropped. In their place, Akash Deep, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Kumar Reddy were brought in. While Bumrah's omission was explained as part of workload management, the decision to leave out Sudharsan came as a surprise. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Gambhir slammed for dropping Sudharsan The 23-year-old left-hander had a great IPL 2025 season, finishing as the tournament's top run-scorer. Many believed he had earned a longer run in the Test side. However, after just one opportunity, he has been left out of the playing XI. Fans expressed disappointment and anger on social media, questioning the Gambhir-led management's decision. -Sai Sudharsan dropped for no reason -Kuldeep is yet to get a game Gambhir era not holding back 🥵 — TukTuk Academy (@TukTuk_Academy) July 2, 2025 Sarfaraz Khan: Scored 150, had two failures, DROPPED! Dhruv Jurel: Had one failure, DROPPED! Devdutt Padikkal: One failure, DROPPED! Nitish Kumar Reddy: Scored century, had one failure, DROPPED! Sai Sudharsan: Bad debut. Got DROPPED! — Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) July 2, 2025 THE NUMBERS 3 OF INDIA FROM BGT : 1st Test - Padikkal 2nd Test - Shubman Gill 3rd Test - Gill ( Dropped) 4th Test - kl Rahul 5th Test - Gill 1st Test - Sai Sudharsan 2nd Test - Karun Nair (Sai dropped) - It's Gautam Gambhir Era in test Cricket — MANU. (@IMManu_18) July 2, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Feel for Sai Sudharsan. 💔 Dropped after just 1 Test — a tough call, purely due to team combination. He showed promise. Hope he gets another shot soon. — Choudhary kapil (@Kapilmalik3011) July 2, 2025

IPL Superstar Set To Be Axed, As Gautam Gambhir Looks To Add 'Player He Admires': Report
IPL Superstar Set To Be Axed, As Gautam Gambhir Looks To Add 'Player He Admires': Report

NDTV

time16 hours ago

  • Sport
  • NDTV

IPL Superstar Set To Be Axed, As Gautam Gambhir Looks To Add 'Player He Admires': Report

The Indian cricket team is set to witness multiple changes in the playing XI for the second Test against England, with 1st Test debutant Sai Sudharsan likely to lose his spot. As per a report, the team management is more keen on bringing all-round options into the side and removing Sudharsan, who couldn't quite grab the opportunity afforded to him in the series opener with both hands. However, such a change is also expected to trigger backlash, since Sudharsan has featured in just one game this series, that too was his debut. According to a report in the Indian Express, Sudharsan is likely to be replaced by spin-bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar, a player India head coach Gautam Gambhir highly admires. But, the report also explains that the decision regarding Sudharsan is being contemplated not from a performance point of view, but balance. If Sudharsan is indeed axed, comeback man Karun Nair is likely to be moved to the No. 3 spot, with skipper Shubman Gill continuing to hold the No. 4 place in the team. There were reports of Sudharsan suffering a shoulder injury too, but the Gujarat Titans batter sweated it out in the nets ahead of the second Test, putting all those rumours to bed. Two more changes that are likely to be made in the team are the inclusion of Nitish Reddy for Shardul Thakur and Akash Deep for Jasprit Bumrah. Kuldeep Yadav, a specialist spinner, however, is likely to remain on the bench yet again. "If fast bowlers are not creating enough chances, then we feel that maybe a second spinner on these kinds of wickets will at least create a run until the second new ball comes," India captain Shubman Gill had said in the press conference on Tuesday. "Looking at the last match, if a similar wicket is going to be here like it was in the last match, then a second spinner won't be a bad option."

The glaring gaps India must fill at the Edgbaston Test
The glaring gaps India must fill at the Edgbaston Test

Hindustan Times

time2 days ago

  • Sport
  • Hindustan Times

The glaring gaps India must fill at the Edgbaston Test

MUMBAI: As India's second Test against England starts at Edgbaston on Wednesday, fixing the gaps from the opening game defeat at Headingley, where half of the Subhman Gill-led side did extremely well and the other half flopped, will be important. Leeds [England], Jun 24 (ANI): India's Ravindra Jadeja and teammates celebrate the wicket of England's Ben Stokes during day 5 of the 1st test match, at Headingley Cricket Ground in Leeds on Tuesday. (@BCCI X/ANI Photo) (@BCCI X) In batting, Karun Nair's comeback and Sai Sudharsan's debut proved forgettable affairs. In bowling, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Kirshna and Shardul Thakur were found wanting in playing the support role to Jasprit Bumrah. These five have been left to rue how their inability to raise their game meant some superb performances by their teammates went in vain and India lost the Test after scoring five Test centuries. The half which didn't do well will be battling confidence issues. Nair and Shardul are unlikely to get a long rope. They will have to get their act together quickly while Sudharsan, Prasidh and Siraj too have their task cut out. As he reflected on his game during the long break between the games, Nair would have seen a pattern in the way his last series went in 2017, and his dismissals in Leeds last week – out playing loose shots. Inability to capitalise on starts was his undoing in the 2017 home Test series against Australia. He played three Tests and started with a 39-ball 26 at Bengaluru (India won), scored a 47-ball 23 in Ranchi (draw) and was out for five in the final Test at Dharamsala. He looked comfortable in all the games but couldn't cash in and lost his place in the side. The Leeds Test was his first in eight years and he must guard against giving away his wicket, and focus harder. Nair's challenge is also to adjust batting at No.6. Though against the Aussies in 2017 also he batted at No.6 and 7, he would have been more at ease from No.3 to No.5. In England, the team needs him in a different role. His triple hundred (vs England in Chennai, 2016) came at No.5. But Rishabh Pant is established at No.5 and Gill at No.4 while India decided to blood Sudharsan at No.3. Batting at 6 also calls for the temperament to handle pressure and shepherd the lower order. Fingers were pointed at Nair for the Leeds defeat because the lower order failed in both innings. He fell for 0 and 20 and wasn't there to guide the tail. In the second innings, Jadeja (25*) tried, but ran out of partners. SAI'S LEG-SIDE ISSUE England exploited the weakness of left-hander Sudharsan's leg-side play, skipper Ben Stokes removing him for 0 and 30 caught on the leg side. In the first innings, he flicked to the wicket-keeper, and in the second he flicked off the pads to short midwicket. Sudharsan is looking to play his strokes. In English conditions, playing forceful shots is fraught with risk. It is better to play with soft hands and under the eyeline. The ball moves late and it is unwise to look to muscle the ball like in the sub-continent. It demands mental skills, the right gameplan, and constant assessment of the weather and pitch conditions. PACE ATTACK Though spinners will have a role to play in Edgbaston, usually in English conditions the onus is on the pacers to lead the bowling. At Leeds, the pacers couldn't support Bumrah to let him be as effective as he could. Compare it to the 2021 series – Bumrah had solid support from Ishant Sharma, Siraj, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav. Even Shardul provided breakthroughs. In the Lord's victory, Bumrah went wicketless in the first innings but Ishant, Shami and Siraj shared nine wickets. On batting pitches, channel bowling is key to build pressure. At Leeds, the pacers other than Bumrah were too inconsistent. Siraj had figures of 27-0-122-2 (ER 4.51) and 14-1-51-0 (3.64). An India Test pacer for more than four years, more was expected from the Hyderabad bowler. Siraj was inconsistent at Leeds. His cross-seam deliveries were easily dealt with. In English conditions, there is more reward using an upright seam and getting the ball to move. He will have to set the tone for the other bowlers at Edgbaston if Bumrah is rested. After forgettable figures of 20-0-128-3 (6.40) and 15-0-92-2 (6.13), Prasidh would have learnt that he can't overdo the short stuff in England. He was hammered from outside off-stump and pulled with disdain. His best chance to take wickets is by pitching it up, as his two second innings wickets at Leeds showed. The striking thing with Shardul is that when the team is anxious for runs he will make a valuable cameo and when it is desperate for wickets he will provide breakthroughs, not an all-rounder who always hits a fifty and gets five wickets. The typical Shardul was missing at Leeds as spells of 6-0-38-0 (6.33) and 10-0-51-2 (5.10) and being dismissed cheaply (1 and 4 runs) show. India will need a better team effort than Headingley if they are to come back in the five-Test series.

KL Rahul Shows Off Multilingual Skills, Cautions India Star In Tamil. Video Viral
KL Rahul Shows Off Multilingual Skills, Cautions India Star In Tamil. Video Viral

NDTV

time24-06-2025

  • Sport
  • NDTV

KL Rahul Shows Off Multilingual Skills, Cautions India Star In Tamil. Video Viral

India batter KL Rahul was seen speaking to youngster Sai Sudharsan in Tamil, during Day 3 of the 1st Test against England at Headingley in Leeds. Rahul and Sudharsan had stitched a 66-run partnership in the second innings after the early dismissal of Yashasvi Jaiswal in the final session on Day 3. Sudharsan, who was on a pair in the second innings, hit a 48-ball 30 before being caught at midwicket minutes before Stumps on Day 3. In a viral video, Rahul showed off his multilingual skills, speaking to Vaughan in Tamil. Rahul cautioned Sudharsan, suggesting that there is some good bounce on the pitch. "Nalla bounce irikke, Machi (There is some good bounce on the track)," Rahul was heard as saying to Sudharsan in a viral video KL to Sai : Bounce | England vs India | 1st Test | Day 03 | | JioHotstar- #ENGvIND #TeamIndia — Star Sports Tamil (@StarSportsTamil) June 22, 2025 Meanwhile, continued his masterful run in South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia (SENA) conditions, slamming his third century in England and his sixth in SENA countries. His century and 195-run stand with Rishabh Pant increased India's second innings lead to 370 runs, setting a 371-run target for the hosts to win. Speaking after the match, as quoted by Sky Sports, Rahul said that earlier, he was not able to convert his starts to big scores. But now, he is not chasing numbers anymore and feels much calmer in his head. "I am just getting runs now. There was a time when I was just getting starts, but not converting those to big scores in Tests especially. This stage of cricket I am at, journey I am at, a lot has changed. I am much calmer in my head and not chasing numbers. I am just enjoying my cricket as much as I can," he said. Rahul credited former assistant coach Abhishek Nayar for his collaborative effort during the last 15-18 months with him on his batting. "I have worked a lot with him, spent a lot of time with him in 15-18 months. I have gone back to basics, doing time. There was a time when I was in a quality over quantity mindset in international cricket and did not hit enough balls. Now I am back to enjoying hitting a lot of balls in the nets," he added.

Sai Sudharshan's Pre-Batting Routine Goes Viral, Gives 'Rahul Dravid' Deja Vu To Fans
Sai Sudharshan's Pre-Batting Routine Goes Viral, Gives 'Rahul Dravid' Deja Vu To Fans

NDTV

time23-06-2025

  • Sport
  • NDTV

Sai Sudharshan's Pre-Batting Routine Goes Viral, Gives 'Rahul Dravid' Deja Vu To Fans

Young batter Sai Sudharsan finally got a chance to make a Test debut for India but his beginning was quite disappointing. Sudharsan, who plays for Gujarat Titans in the IPL, was dismissed for a duck in the first innings. However, he showed some zeal and scored 30 off 48 balls before getting dismissed by Ben Stokes in the second innings. The 23-year-old batter is known for his brilliant shots and will be eager to contribute more in the upcoming Tests against England. During second innings on Day 3, the cameraman captured a brilliant moment of Sudharsan, when he was trying to meditate before coming out to bat. In a video going viral on social media, Sudharsan was seen holding a ball and focussing on it, in order to mentally prepare himself to bat. He was later seen taking down some notes on a paper and doing some analysis of the game. Focus. Visualise. Execute Great innings begin long before the first ball #SonySportsNetwork #GroundTumharaJeetHamari #ENGvIND #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia — Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) June 22, 2025 Notably, former India coach Rahul Dravid is popular for writing down notes during the game. He used to maintain the scorecard of the match in his notebook and analyze it later to prepare for the next match. KL Rahul drove his way to a sublime 47 after England negated India's advantage by totalling 465 in their first innings as the visitors had another ordinary day in the field on day three of the first Test. India dropped as many as five catches and barring Jasprit Bumrah, the effort from the pacers left a lot to be desired, allowing England to even out the game after the Shubman Gill -led side posted 471 in its first essay. At stumps, India reached 90 for two with Rahul (47 batting off 75) and Shubman Gill (6 batting off 10). Brydon Carse had Yashavi Jaiswal (4 off 11) caught behind with a ball that seamed away while Ben Stokes got rid of debutant Sai Sudharsan (30 off 48) for the second time in the game, the southpaw's flick falling into the hands of Zak Crawley at mid-wicket. Rahul was a delight to watch as he majority of his seven fours came via the cove driver off the fast bowlers. He did not look any discomfort whatsoever despite the ball doing a bit in overcast conditions. Stumps were drawn when rain arrived at Headingley with India leading by 96 runs.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store