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Sai Sudharsan gets Gill’s support despite Test woes, but India coach cautions on Jurel shift: 'You saw Karun Nair...'
Sai Sudharsan has had modest returns of 147 runs in seven innings so far with one half century.
India batter Sai Sudharsan was subtly served a warning amid a shaky start to his Test career, as the left-hander was reminded of what Karun Nair incurred in a space of just one tour. However, assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate, speaking to the press on Wednesday ahead of the second and final Test match against the West Indies, admitted that Sudharsan has the backing of India captain Shubman Gill.
Sudharsan hasn't made an impact as a top-order batter yet in the Test line-up, scoring just 147 runs in seven innings, comprising just one fifty. Following the tour of England, where he made his debut, the selectors made some tough calls, but Sudharsan was retained. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar stated that the management has high expectations for the Tamil Nadu batter and that he will be given a longer rope to prove his mettle.
However, Sudharsan failed to vindicate the selection, as he was dismissed for just seven runs in the first Test against the West Indies last week.
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"I am sure he does feel like he's got our backing, like he's got the captain's backing and the coaching staff's backing. And we feel he'll deliver on his promise very soon," Ten Doeschate had words of encouragement for the under-pressure youngster.
Ten Doeschate, however, warned Sudharsan, saying that there remains a possibility that Dhruv Jurel could be pushed up the order when Rishabh Pant returns to Test cricket for the home series against South Africa later this year. The statement came in the wake of Jurel's impressive show in the Ahmedabad Test, where he scored 125 runs. He also scored 197 runs in three innings for India A in the home red-ball series against Australia A last month, which comprised a century and a fifty.
"I'd imagine it does. You know, I think we've shown last week just what a good player he is. We've known that all along. Sometimes he's got to fit into the middle order," Ten Doeschate said ahead of the second Test versus West Indies starting in Delhi on Friday.
"And, in addition to that, there are other good players who are fighting for top three or top four spots. Shubhman got number four done for now.
"So Sai is aware of that. Look, I don't think you pursue a career of playing cricket in India if you don't expect that sort of competition. That's quite impossible and we know it is tough enough to deal with that.
"Like I say, he's got to go out there and score the runs we think he's worthy of getting," Ten Doeschate said as things stand at the moment.
However, the India coach admitted that Sudharsan knows where he stands, having witnessed the fate Nair incurred after his poor show in the England tour.
"I think he's under no illusion and he can't hide away from the fact that you do fight for a spot in this environment. You know, you saw Karun Nair get four Test matches in England.
"There are a lot of good players sort of fighting at the heels of whoever has possession of that spot. So Sai just needs to focus on believing in himself. We've obviously got a lot of belief in him to give him that number three spot."
