After stunning the cricketing world two weeks prior with his 96 in the IPL championship, B Instigated by his parents, Sai Sudharsan went to the stadium’s stands in Coimbatore to meet a dozen children. Sai Sudharsan posed for photographs and signed autographs for the kids who had just watched him score a 45-ball 86 for Lyca Kovai Kings in the TNPL T20 competition, all while being watched by his delighted parents Bharadwaj and Usha, who also captured the scene on her phone.
Sudharsan exudes a sense of peace and newly discovered confidence. The confidence is understandable, especially given how well he has performed across all domestic league formats, including the Ranji Trophy, where he scored a century on his debut, the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he made three centuries, and the IPL final, where he scored a news-making 96 for Gujarat Titans against Chennai Super Kings.
Personally, I haven’t changed at all, Sudharsan declared. “I got going with my routines. However, external changes are numerous. The IPL this year taught me a lot, and I’m trying to work on it more and not worry about stuff outside of it,” the 21-year-old said.
All of this motivation for him to work on his game and expand his shot range comes from New Zealand. Sudharsan has always had shots around the wicket, but after closely watching Kane Williamson, he is now expanding his arsenal to include switch-hits and paddle scoops.
The Kiwi is the player with whom Sudharsan most closely identifies since he desires to switch between formats without significantly changing his style of play.
“I relate to him [Williamson] because we play similar roles and have similar play styles. I took it after seeing him practise and started practising my shots. Learning from him is important since he plays all three formats, and I want to improve in all three,” adds Sudharsan.
The New Zealander’s exceptional warmth sealed the deal more so than just their comparable sense of style. Williamson gave the Gujarat Titans’ management one special message in spite of the fact that he was hurt while fielding and had to return home for surgery: Tell Sai to get in touch with me.
So even though he returned home, he continued to communicate with me frequently and gave me insightful input. He was giving me advice on how to advance the game and make the most of our resources given our constraints, according to Sudharsan.
Williamson wasn’t the only one; Australian star Matthew Wade also emerged as a batting coach. Particularly with relation to the paddle-scoop shots, the tactic he employed to help Australia defeat Pakistan in the 2021 T20 world cup final.
Wade would watch Sudharsan from behind the nets and offer small adjustments to help him make the perfect connection. Wade is one of the top players of the scoops and ramps behind the wicket.
Wade greatly aided me in that regard. His playing is excellent. He also taught me the value of positioning and how to execute it. To play the shot, you must be low to the ground, and your hands must hit the ground as you fall. I have trouble executing since I’m tall. Consequently, getting low was difficult, and even though I didn’t touch the ground, Sudharsan remarked that he was now lower than when he had first began.
Sudharsan had a good performance on the domestic circuit, scoring three century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and two in the Ranji Trophy, including one on his debut, after receiving the big break in the IPL’s 2022 season as a result of a strong TNPL in 2021. The domestic circuit, particularly the Ranji Trophy, which allowed Sudharsan to play in a variety of conditions and attacks, is to thank for Sudharsan’s success in the IPL. “Adaptation, in my opinion, is crucial. We play in a variety of settings, locales, and climes. This is beneficial to us in the IPL. We performed in Mumbai and Delhi. During the IPL, things were simpler. We are adaptable because we have learned and played domestic cricket. The knowledge that domestic cricket would have a respectable season aided in this year’s according to Sudharsan.
