IND vs SA: "If Jurel starts scoring runs consistently…"- Cheteshwar Pujara’s warning to Sai Sudharsan ahead of South Africa tests

Cheteshwar Pujara said that Sai Sudharsan needs to convert his starts and avoid soft dismissals.

Former Indian Cricket Team batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes that the upcoming test series against South Africa Cricket Team will be a crucial campaign for Sai Sudharsan, who aims to cement his place at No. 3 in the Indian test team. Pujara, who announced his retirement from all forms of cricket a few months ago, also shared some advice for the left-handed batsman.

Sudharsan made his test debut in Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 earlier this year, getting out for a duck in his first outing in Leeds against England. The series didn’t go as he would have wanted as he bagged soft dismissals and struggled to convert his starts into big scores. The 24-year-old batter has played nine innings across five tests so far, but has only scored 273 runs with two half-centuries.

He was part of the West Indies test series last month, where he smacked impressive scores of 87 and 39 in the second test after getting out cheaply for just seven runs in the opening game. Despite Sudharsan’s initial struggles, head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill have trusted him at the crucial No.3 slot.

It will be an important series for Sai Sudharsan: Cheteshwar Pujara

While speaking at a Jiostar event, former India test specialist batter Pujara said that Sudharsan has shown potential with the bat. He advised young batter to avoid soft dismissals and convert his starts into big scores.

“Yes, it will be an important series for Sai, but he’s a young player who is maturing very quickly. He scored runs in England and also did well against the West Indies, so he has shown he has the potential. It’s now about converting his starts and making sure he doesn’t give away his wicket. There were a couple of soft dismissals in England, so he will need to avoid that and turn his starts into big scores. Once he gets that first Test hundred, I think he will be a lot more confident,” he said.

The 37-year-old also added that Dhruv Jurel has shown a lot of potential in recent times and can capture Sudharsan’s batting slot in future. He also hopes that Sudharsan will score his first century soon.

“And it’s not just about the number three spot. It’s also about proving that he belongs in the playing XI, regardless of whether he continues at number three or shifts depending on the team’s requirements. As of now, yes, he is the one likely to continue at number three, but Dhruv Jurel has also shown a lot of potential. If Jurel starts scoring runs consistently, you never know, Sai might have to bat at a different position,” he said.

“Because Sai is a left-hander, it will be crucial for him to hold on to that number three position. When I was playing, the Indian team didn’t have too many left-handers in the top order, but now we have Yashasvi and Sai, and both play a crucial role in the XI. I hope Sai gets his maiden hundred soon. He has shown a lot of potential, and I’m very hopeful he will start scoring runs consistently,” Pujara concluded.

Meanwhile, while Sudharsan is expected to retain his No.3 slot in the test series against South Africa, Jurel is expected to be picked as a pure batter. Smacking two centuries for India A in the second unofficial test against South Africa A recently, Jurel has justified his place in the playing XI. The first test between India and South Africa will start on November 14 (Friday) at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

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