IND vs SA: "Giving them a long rope is important"- Ajinkya Rahane urges Gautam Gambhir to allow Sai Sudharsan settle at No.3

Ajinkya Rahane also added that batting at No.3 would be confusing for Washington Sundar.

Indian Cricket Team batter Ajinkya Rahane has advised head coach Gautam Gambhir to provide more time to Sai Sudharsan to settle at the No.3 batting slot in the test team. Rahane also added that batting at one down position would be very confusing for Washington Sundar, as he is a bowling all-rounder.

His comments came after Sudharsan was overlooked for the recent first test between India and South Africa. The left-handed batter made his test debut earlier this year in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025. He was part of the playing XI in the two-match test series against West Indies, where he also slammed 87 and 39 runs in the second test.

However, Sudarshan’s absence from the South Africa series came as a big surprise for many cricket fans. Gambhir utilised all-rounder Washington Sundar at the one-down slot in the match. While Sundar finished as the highest run-scorer for India with 60 runs (29 & 31) in the low-scoring clash, he could not drive the team to victory. India, facing a batting blunder, were bowled out for just 93 runs while trying to chase 124.

If you want to get a player playing at No.3 for long, then giving them a long rope is important: Ajinkya Rahane

Speaking on Ravichandran Ashwin’s YouTube channel, Rahane said that the management should give more opportunities to Sudharsan to settle at the number three slot. He also noted that batting at one down would’ve been too confusing for Sundar as he is a bowling all-rounder.

“I’ll take a name. Sai Sudharsan. He did well, 87 and 39, I guess. When you bat at No.3, it requires a different skill. Batting at 6 or 7 requires a different skill. Washy is a great player, an amazing talent. But going to bat at No.3 is very confusing for him. He must be thinking, ‘How do I set my game?’ Washy, I believe, is a bowling allrounder,” Rahane said.

“If he has to bat at No.3, then he has to prepare differently, and he will need to give it more time. Batting lower down the order is a completely different skill. Whether it is Washy or Sai, giving security is of utmost importance,” he added.

Rahane reckoned that batters should be given a long duration to cement their place at the one-down position as their careers are on the line.

“If the team management is looking at Sai at No.3 for a long duration, then he should be given the long rope. Similar to Washy. A player has his career on the line. We have to play for our country, so if you want to get a player playing at No.3 for long, then giving them a long rope is important,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, Sudharsan has played five tests in his career so far and scored 273 runs in nine innings, including two half-centuries. After India’s batting blunder in the first test, it will be interesting to see if he is brought back at one-down in the second test, which will begin on November 22 at Barasapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati.

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