This was a dream that was ignited during the lockdown by a mom, who could no longer watch her son being distracted. Usha Bharadwaj, a former state-level volleyball player and now a strength and conditioning coach, would show her son B Sai Sudharsan videos of Virat Kohli’s intensity while training. Sai Sudharsan found a spark, transforming himself into a quality batsman that Indian cricket couldn’t ignore. And five years later, with his idol who inspired retiring, and opening up a spot in the Indian team, Sai Sudharsan got his big break.
As the selectors gave a maiden Test call-up to Sai Sudharsan, it hardly came as a surprise. He may not have compelling numbers in the domestic circuit, but through the course of each season including the , has shown why he has the potential to become the next big all-format batsman for India. Three ODI caps have already been earned and a Test cap now looks a definite possibility in England, where he is widely tipped to bat at No.3.
Behind his rise to the Indian team is the story of his family’s incredible support and sacrifice.
“My mother takes care of my strength and conditioning and my dad (R Bharadwaj, a former national-level athlete) handles my running aspect. And I have my brother (B Sai Ram) who offers all the support. They know me completely. They understand my emotions. Because they are knowledgeable, they can make a difference in my life.” Sai Sudharsan tells .
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Last December, Sai Sudharsan needed their support. Troubled by sports hernia, he had opted for a surgery in London where he was all by himself. His brother, residing in Australia, knew his younger sibling needed support and would make phone calls to ensure their parents could get a visa to be beside Sai Sudharsan. “It all happened at the last minute and thanks to my brother, my parents were there a day after the surgery. I was in no position to move for the first three days, so having them around was a huge help. It is such moments that remind me how fortunate I’m to have such parents. They always think about me and my brother. They also have a lot of things going on in their lives, but they always put our interests at the forefront. As I’m growing older, I’m getting to understand the value of their sacrifices. But they won’t show it, even now when she calls, all that she wants to know is if I had my meal or not,” Sai Sudharsan says.
All that combined hard work and sacrifices has taken Sai Sudharsan to the place where many expected him to be. From being this young left-hander, who nonchalantly on-drive R Ashwin through a vacant mid-wicket region that made those in TN cricket to take notice, in the last three IPLs, he has now become a batsman who Indian cricket is pinning plenty of hope on, especially in Test cricket.
Sai Sudharsan doesn’t seem perturbed about a possible Test debut in England. “The experience of playing County cricket is a massive thing,” he says about his stints with Surrey over the last two seasons. “Those two years in those six-seven games, I have learnt a lot about batting. Playing in England, you cannot relax as a batsman. It was an eye-opener for me where I understood I can’t take the technical aspects lightly. If certain technical things are difficult for you, then you could stand exposed. In the first few matches I was exposed and I struggled a lot with my batting. But it gave me the experience very early. I got an idea about how to play in England. I spoke to a lot of their cricketers to get an idea so that when I go next, I don’t feel shy. Those matches helped improve my awareness,” Sai Sudharsan adds.
Alec Stewart’s help
Former England captain and director of Surrey Alec Stewart would be of great help for Sai Sudharsan. Having received the call-up even before he made his India debut, Stewart had helped the left-hander settle in the city and also passed on a few tips required to succeed as a batsman. “Off the wicket, there is a lot of lateral movement. So, you have to hold the position better. You have to play the ball as late as possible. You have to play it with soft hands and as close to the body as possible,” he says.
These sound lessons are something Sai Sudharsan has tried to incorporate in his batting not just in English conditions but also at home. In an IPL where he is leading the run-charts, it is his technical correctness that has stood out. And the 23-year-old explains the reason as well. “As a batsman, when you are juggling between formats, I believe only the mindset should change, not your game. To be honest, I’ve been trying to play the same way even in IPL, because you can’t suddenly go to a new place, get rid of a particular game and pick up a new one. I don’t make a big change from my set-up or from my movement. But, mindset-wise, there is a big shift. Tactical-wise, there is a big shift. When I go to England, I have to leave a lot more balls than I usually do,” he says.
After a pause he puts a question across. “I hope I’m not talking like an analyst? I’ve not succeeded in England. I’m only getting to understand how to play.”
Unlike Abhimany Easwaran with whom he is likely to compete for a slot in the Test XI, Sai Sudharsan may not have a bucketful of runs in Ranji Trophy or domestic circuit. But he for sure is a player who has gone through the grind and also picked up lessons from IPL, County cricket and India A levels.
“Nothing prepares you for the top level like our Ranji Trophy. For example, last season we played our first game at Coimbatore and the next was at . Completely contrasting venues and conditions with just three days to acclimatise and adjust. You keep doing it through the season and there are a lot of variables at play, which you have to learn. I was really upset that I missed a lot of it because of the surgery. These exposures help us a lot to learn and adapt quickly. England will no doubt be tough, but it all comes down to preparation. A tough question paper will sound easy if you are thorough with the lessons,” he says.
During the 1996 tour of England, Indian cricket got a graceful left-handed batsman in who went on to play 113 Tests. 30 years later, another elegant left-hander will head to England with plenty of hope and optimism at a critical juncture for the Indian Test team.
