‘Enough exposure to bowlers of international quality’ – Sai Sudharsan looked at as Rohit Sharma’s replacement in Tests by TN batting coach

Tamil Nadu’s batting coach, Tanveer Jabbar, recently discussed the array of strengths B Sai Sudharsan possessed in his batting arsenal. Jabbar went into detail on Sudharsan’s soft bottom hand and how it aided him to play “two shots for each ball”.

He also expanded on how Sudharsan’s back-lift aided his strokeplay and made batting a lot simpler for the southpaw.

“As a batting coach, what stands out for me are his smooth hands and mindset. He is one of the few players who plays with a very soft bottom hand. So, he gets most of his runs where he intends to. He is a guy who can get you singles as well as boundaries. His back-lift is his biggest asset. His mindset has given him good game awareness. A soft bottom hand shows you have control over your back-lift and the bat. The control over the bat is critical to give direction to the ball. If you hold the bat very firmly, you are going to jab at the ball. That is only for hitting. So, he has two shots for each ball,” stated Jabbar, as quoted by The Indian Express.

The domestic side’s batting coach, who has also worked closely alongside the Southpaw, also commented on how Sudharsan was a player capable of playing all around the ground, emphasising on his ability to play the straight drive. 

“Primarily, what we look for is that a batter should have at least a couple of options for every delivery. That is something which Sai has worked on. That’s why he has been so successful. Against the short ball, he can go on the backfoot and punch it to cover and, if need be, can pull it as well. He pulls, sweeps and has the straight drive. If you look around in the domestic circuit, there are not too many batters who play straight drives. That’s because of their bat flow. But he has those shots in his book, which is testament to his technique. And obviously, he has got very nimble feet to complement his good hands. All of it means that his balance is very good with a still head,” he added.

Has travelled abroad and rubbed shoulders with the best in the IPL: Jabbar

Adding to why Sudharsan would be the ideal batter for India at the top of the order for their upcoming tour to England, Jabbar alluded to the GT opener’s stint in county cricket and the IPL having provided him with a whole lot of exposure to quality bowlers.

“He has got enough exposure to bowlers of international quality. He has travelled abroad and rubbed shoulders with the best in the IPL. Being a left-hander is an added advantage because the bowlers will have to change their angles every now and then. His soft bottom hand will also come very handy in England. The only challenge I see is his running between the wickets. He is too quick for the other batters and always looks to get off strike,” concluded Jabbar.

Sudharsan, who is currently representing Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League, has registered a tally of 509 runs in 11 innings at an impressive strike rate of 153.31 up until now. He has also represented Surrey in the County Championship in the past, and has done quite well while during his time playing England’s premier domestic red-ball competition.

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