Michael Clarke lavished praise on after the Gujarat Titans’ (GT) opener finished as the leading run-getter in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025), winning the Orange Cap with 759 runs from 15 innings at an average of 54.21.
Sudharsan received his maiden Test call-up last month as he was picked in India’s side for the impending five-match Test series against England in the United Kingdom. The southpaw has played 29 first-class games for Tamil Nadu and scored 1957 runs at an average of 39.93.
Clarke opined that the 23-year-old has the technique to bat at No. 3 for India in the red-ball format and has all the shots needed to excel in the role. The former Australian captain also stated that Sudharsan is mentally ready for the role.
“To me, this kid is a superstar, Sai Sudharsan. I think he is a number three in Test cricket. I think he is probably going to open the batting in time in India’s T20I and ODI team. He is in their Test squad. He gets his first opportunity in England,” Clarke said on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast.
“I think he can walk in straight to bat at number three. I think technically he’s very good, he’s got all the shots, and mentally, he’s ready. He really impressed me and he’s a good looking player as well,” he further added.
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Michael Clarke rates Kuldeep Yadav as the best bowler of the tournament
Kuldeep Yadav finished IPL 2025 with 15 wickets from 14 matches. As many as 16 bowlers took more wickets than him in the cash-rich league. However, Clarke rated him as the best bowler of the tournament, highlighting his ability to read the batters and toss the ball up to look for wickets instead of only trying to put the brakes on the scoring. The 44-year-old feels that Yadav should start as India’s first-choice spinner against England.
“He wasn’t the leading wicket-taker, but to me Kuldeep Yadav. He should be India’s number one pick spinner. In England, he is my first pick spinner. He is playing he is a wicket-taker, he is an X factor,” the former Australia captain continued.
He was my bowler of the tournament. I think his reading of batters has improved out of sight. His courageousness to still the toss the ball up to attack to take the wickets. I loved watching him bowl and he bowled at the hardest times,” Clarke concluded.
