In modern-day cricket, the weight of expectations can often be a young player’s heaviest burden. For Sai Sudharsan, however, that weight has been entirely lifted by the unwavering backing of the Indian team management, with head coach Gautam Gambhir, on the eve of the Test, backing the batter openly. Following a 81-run knock on Day 1 of the only Test against Afghanistan, the 24-year-old left-hand batter opened up about how public support from the head coach and captain has been the catalyst for his confidence at the crease.
Despite a topsy-turvy start to his Test career, the management’s decision to give Sudharsan a longer rope paid rich dividends on Saturday. When asked about the confidence derived from the head coach’s public backing, Sudharsan’s relief and gratitude were palpable.
“It gives so much freedom,” Sudharsan told reporters at the end of Day 1 in Mullanpur. “It gives so much certainty mentally that when the coach, the team and the captain support you, back you, and want you to do well for the country… it is such an honour in the first place.”
Sudharsan emphasised that knowing he has the complete trust of the dressing room allows him to focus entirely on his execution rather than his survival in the playing XI. “Obviously, it gives a lot of freedom for you to express yourself and do what you can do at your best, rather than thinking about scoring or thinking about, ‘Will I play the next game?’ or whatever thought of that sort,” he said. “That never arises because you’ve got great freedom from the team.”
This mental clarity was evident during his 139-run partnership with vice-captain KL Rahul. Despite being the dominant run-scorer during their stand, Sudharsan noted that their mid-pitch conversations were purely tactical, devoid of any pressure to prove a point. With Rahul providing “so much composure” and “useful cues” about a slow, low and spinning Mullanpur track, Sudharsan was able to patiently construct his innings.
Coming fresh off a successful IPL season, transitioning back to the rigours of red-ball cricket required precise mental and tactical recalibration. Sudharsan revealed that the team’s primary focus heading into this Test was mastering the spin conditions.
“The biggest conversation was around how well we can play spin, how well we can understand the conditions, and score runs out of them rather than just looking to play time,” Sudharsan explained. “Mentally, it was more about believing and trusting my abilities.”
He also addressed his proactive approach to overcoming past struggles. When Afghanistan deployed an unconventional off-side trap similar to the tactics used against him in England, Sudharsan was well prepared.
“When it happened in England, it was definitely something new for me,” he said, crediting his intensive practice sessions and his local ground in Chennai for the tactical upgrade. “So I went back and worked on it and got improved ideas on it, which helped me today.”
But as he made clear on Day 1, when a player knows the entire dressing room is firmly in his corner, the battle in the middle becomes significantly easier.
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The post ‘It Gives So Much Freedom’: Sai Sudharsan Credits Coach and Captain’s Unwavering Trust for Solid 81 appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.
