Team India’s batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, said the selectors had confidence in Sai Sudharsan to perform in the Delhi Test against the West Indies, despite his struggles in previous matches. Kotak described Sudharsan as a mentally strong player who doesn’t let pressure affect him.
India dominated Day 1 of the second Test at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Friday, October 10. After winning the toss and electing to bat, they ended the day at 318/2. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal remained unbeaten on 173, while Sudharsan made a valuable 87.
Ahead of the match, there were doubts about Sudharsan’s spot in the playing XI due to his modest performances in earlier red-ball games. However, the team retained the same lineup, and the young batter justified the selectors’ trust with a solid innings.
Speaking at the post-Day 1 press conference in Delhi, Sitanshu Kotak lauded the southpaw and remarked:
“Sai, we all know how talented he is. Every time you, probably, won’t look at the score. You would look at the batsman, how he is batting, how he is pacing his innings. Sometimes, anybody can fail in one or two innings, but he batted brilliantly today. He is someone who is mentally very tough. You would never see him under pressure. We know his quality.”
“We Are Trying To Cut Down On That”— Kotak On Sai Sudharsan’s Front Foot Play
Sai Sudharsan showcased his talent on Day 1 of the Delhi Test but fell short of a deserved century after a lapse in judgement. The southpaw was caught in the crease and trapped lbw by a sharply turning delivery from Jomel Warrican. Kotak acknowledged that Sudharsan still needs to refine his front foot technique. While commending the young batter, he remarked:
“Sai comes from Tamil Nadu. They play a lot on turning wickets. He’s pretty good against spin. Some shots he plays off the back foot, not many can play. The only thing we talk about is that some of the very full balls as well, sometimes, he plays on the back foot. We are trying to cut down on that. He very much knows that. If the line is outside the off-stump, the same length he could go on the front and play.”
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