"Got to give more opportunities.." Shubman Gill backs Sai Sudharsan at No. 3 ahead of 2nd IND vs WI test

Sai Sudharsan has scored 147 runs in seven test innings so far for India.

Indian captain Shubman Gill has backed youngster Sai Sudharsan, who is still searching for consistency in test cricket. Sudharsan’s early dismissal in the first test against the West Indies in Ahmedabad, one of only a few batting failures in an otherwise imposing Indian performance, refocused attention on his form. However, ahead of the second test in Delhi, Gill’s message was one of calm and determination.

Speaking at the press conference before the second test in Delhi, Gill advocated patience and perspective on Sai, emphasizing that it would be unjust to condemn Sudharsan based on only a few innings.

You have to see a player’s potential: Shubman Gill on Sai Sudharsan

The Indian captain expressed his confidence in the youngster’s abilities, identifying him as a long-term alternative for India’s No. 3 spot.

“I don’t really think he’s going through a lean patch. He got only one innings in the first match (Ahmedabad Test). In the Oval Test, he played a crucial knock of 40 on a wicket where the ball was swinging. The match before that, he scored a fifty in Manchester. Not everyone is going to score in every match. You have to give young players more opportunities as they’re still figuring out their game,” Gill said.

“We believe you have to see a player’s potential in its entirety and not judge them based on just one, two, three, or four matches. Once someone has been given six, seven, or eight games, then you can sit back and assess where they need to improve, whether that means playing more domestic cricket or India A matches. But as of now, we think he’s the right man for us, and someone who can play at No. 3 for India for a very long time,” he added.

Gill has a good rapport with Sudharsan as they both open for Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League. The left-hander was among the standout performers in IPL 2025, clinching the Orange Cap with 759 runs from 15 matches.

Sudharsan made his test debut for India on the tour of England and has scored 147 runs in seven innings, including a solitary half-century.

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