Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra believes Sai Sudharsan will be Yashasvi Jaiswal’s opening partner in upcoming Test matches for India. Rohit Sharma’s place has come under the heat after he could not deliver the goods on the Australian tour.
Rohit managed only 31 runs in five Test innings at an average of 6.20 and he decided to drop himself in the Sydney Test. In his place, KL Rahul opened the innings for the visitors and did a decent job at the top but Rohit revealed he has no plans of retiring from the Test format.
Meanwhile, Sai Sudharsan scored 127 runs in two first-class matches for India A on the tour of Australia at an average of 31.75. Sudharsan has amassed 1948 runs in 28 first-class matches at an average of 41.44 and he is yet to make his Test debut for the senior team.
Chopra feels Shubman Gill will settle down at number four as he too couldn’t deliver while batting at one down on the Australian tour after Virat Kohli’s retirement.
Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel, “One player who comes to my mind and for whom all of us should be ready, he is the future of Indian batting, he is Sai Sudharsan. Yashasvi Jaiswal is there. Shubman Gill, who will eventually go to No. 4, is there, and after that, Rishabh Pant is there. So these are your three pillars. KL Rahul is there with you for some time.”
“Of course, he is the most senior among all of them and is playing as an opener. So you can keep him along with you. However, eventually when KL Rahul goes, an opener’s place will become vacant. I see Shubman settling down as No. 4. I see his career progressing at No. 4 as soon as Virat Kohli says goodbye. So I am thinking about Sai Sudharsan,” Chopra added.
The renowned commentator backed Sai Sudharsan to savor success at the top level as he has the right technique and temperament.
“Considering his playing style and temperament, I genuinely feel he has a great future ahead of him because whenever you have given him a chance on the big stage, it looks like he belongs to this space. Even when it was the IPL final, he played easily,” he said.
Chopra feels it is crucial for the BCCI to invest heavily in Sai Sudharsan as he is the future of Indian cricket.
“When you took him to South Africa, there also he played easily. Of course, he has played more white-ball cricket thus far, but we have witnessed Sai Sudharsan’s talent, and he is very young. He is only 23 years old. So I will definitely play a punt on the 23-year-old Sai Sudharsan because he is one for the long haul according to me,” Chopra observed.
India will next take on England in a five-match T20I series.
