Crossing a legend like Tendulkar gives you the assurance you are on the right track: Sai Sudharsan Premium

B. Sai Sudharsan's rapid rise in cricket from TNPL to IPL and international debut, sharing insights on his journey.

Over the last three years, B. Sai Sudharsan has quietly but rapidly risen through the ranks. From bursting onto the scene in the TNPL in 2021 to debuting for India in One-Day Internationals in December 2023, it has been a remarkable journey for the 22-year-old. He came into the limelight with a brilliant 96 in the 2023 IPL final for Gujarat Titans against Chennai Super Kings. He went on to have an impressive tour of Sri Lanka with India-A in the Emerging Teams Asia Cup, a short but fruitful county stint with Surrey and an eye-catching performance in the Irani Cup, which fast-tracked him into the Indian set-up. This year, the Tamil Nadu left-hander went one better in the IPL, topping the run-charts for GT (527 in 12 games) and, in the process, becoming the fastest Indian batter to 1,000 runs (25 innings), beating Sachin Tendulkar and Ruturaj Gaikwad’s record (31 innings). He spoke to The Hindu about his growth as a cricketer. Excerpts: 

You have had a terrific run in the last three years. How do you look at it?

It’s been a great experience, for sure. There were so many learnings, and I think I have good things to take forward. It’s definitely been a dream. Sometimes, when I feel we are playing so many matches together, it is what we dreamt of. From that first TNPL game in 2021, three years, it’s been a great journey. I’m really grateful because wherever I went, I have got an opportunity, starting with the IPL in 2022. In the first year, I got five games… that was a great opportunity for any youngster to get exposed to the conditions so that they know what they can get better at and what it takes to be there or how to improve as a batter. 

Before COVID, you missed the under-19 bus, and there was no cricket for a year. But from your first TNPL, you have never looked back. Talk us through the work you put in during that time.

I played the under-19 Challenger and got dropped. But it was the best thing to happen to me. The experience teaches you a lot. What could have happened later, happened earlier to me, and made me aware that I should get better. The one good thing was I had one-and-a-half years of work behind me. There was completely undistracted work or complete, deliberate practice each and every day, waking up, getting fitter, getting better as a batsman, as a person. There was more focused practice because we couldn’t do much else. I had all the time to focus on myself.

How do you prepare when you move from one level to another to bridge that gap from domestic to IPL or international cricket?

I feel there is not much difference as you go up. Yes, there is definitely a slight difference in quality. Just the consistency of the people or the bowlers executing is better. But it’s more about external things. You get more pressure with 100,000 people watching you. Cricket, I feel, is the same wherever we play. So, it is better not to get affected by external factors. I visualise and meditate a lot. I try to keep everything similar and not try something different when I go to the next level. I have the same processes and volumes during practice. When you are under pressure, your second nature comes out, and that has to be your best belief.