Getting back to basics of red-ball cricket will take some time: Sai Sudharsan

B. Sai Sudharsan reflects on IPL success, shifts focus to maiden Test call-up for England tour.

A tinge of despondency was writ large on B. Sai Sudharsan’s face as he walked into the press conference hall of the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium for the post-match formalities on Friday. The 23-year-old had put every ounce of effort, smashing a breathtaking 80 for Gujarat Titans in a chase of 229 against Mumbai Indians in the IPL Eliminator. But it wasn’t enough.

This was an IPL season where the Tamil Nadu batter entrenched his status as a prodigious talent. The southpaw is the tournament’s highest run-getter, compiling 759 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of 156.17. But he admitted that his team faltering at this stage will rankle.

“It is good to see that I was consistent for my team, but when the job is not finished, you do not get that ultimate satisfaction. Definitely, there is a lot of disappointment in the environment,” he told reporters.

His focus will now shift to the baptism by fire that a maiden Test call-up for a tour of England is. He will get one game for India-A against England Lions, starting June 6, before the Test series.

“I think it is all about mindset and decision making,” he said when asked to look ahead. “Definitely, after a long three months of a white-ball tournament, certain things would have changed in your batting. I think focusing more on basics and bringing back those to red-ball cricket will take some time, I think we will have some good time before the series starts.”

He hopes that his County stint with Surrey holds him in good stead. “My County stint gave me a great experience. It improved my batting by multiple folds in terms of technique and in terms of basics. It should help me and I will focus more on what I learned there before going into the series.”