Sai Sudharsan was the standout performer for India on the opening day of the Manchester Test against England. He scored a patient 61 off 151 balls, hitting seven boundaries and sharing a solid partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal, who made 58. Thanks to their efforts, India finished the day on 264 for 4.
Sai Sudharsan Leads India’s Strong Start
Sai Sudharsan didn’t have the best start to his Test career and was dropped after his debut. But given another shot, he made sure to make it count. He looked calm and composed, and although a hundred was within reach, it wasn’t to be this time. Still, it was a strong and much-needed knock.
The Secret Behind His Confidence
So, what helped him turn things around? According to Sai Sudharsan, it was all about shadow batting. He was seen doing it often, and he believes it played a big part in his improved confidence at the crease.
“I do it every day. It’s my go-to thing. So, I do it whenever possible, whichever time possible, I always visualise it. It’s a great, great skill which anybody can possess and mentally you’ll be ready,” he said at the press conference.
He was understandably disappointed not to carry on. “Definitely, I was disappointed that I got out in that shot. Probably next time I’ll give my best. I felt the dismissal; it held a bit more and bounced a bit more from the pavilion end. Actually, quite a few balls were bouncing a bit more from the pavilion end. I feel that we can see a bit more in the coming days,” he added.
India Still Has Work to Do
India are aiming to level the series 2-2 before the final Test at The Oval, starting July 31. They haven’t won a Test series in England since 2007, so they’ll need to win both remaining matches to change that. Sai Sudharsan’s knock has given them a good start, but the hard work is far from over.
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