Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has criticised the Indian team management for their decision to drop youngster Sai Sudharsan for the Kolkata Test against South Africa, questioning the lack of continuity shown towards the promising batter. India opted for an unusual strategy of fielding four spinners in the match, which resulted in Sudharsan being left out and Axar Patel being drafted into the XI.
Sudharsan was first tried at No. 3 during the England tour, but he was dropped after just one Test.
Following the unsuccessful experiment with Karun Nair in the same position, India reverted to the Tamil Nadu batter for the West Indies series. In the Delhi Test, Sudharsan impressed with a well-made 87, silencing critics and offering a strong indication of why he deserved a longer run in the role.
However, despite his promising performances, the team management once again left him out for the crucial Kolkata Test. The decision did not sit well with Chopra, who questioned the logic behind selecting Sudharsan in the squad if he was not going to be backed with consistent opportunities, especially after showcasing potential at a pivotal batting position.
"If you’re not convinced with Sai Sudharsan’s batting after what he did in Delhi, then why is he still in the squad? Why keep him in the team? It can’t be that just because you need fifteen players, you include him even though you have no belief in him. That’s not how it works. So their thinking I don’t understand it," said Chopra as quoted by India Today.
Since the prolific eras of Rahul Dravid and Cheteshwar Pujara at No. 3, India has struggled to find a stable and long-term option for the crucial batting position. Although current captain Shubman Gill enjoyed considerable success in the role, he moved to No. 4 following Virat Kohli’s retirement, leaving the spot unsettled once again.
Chopra expressed concern over the constant chopping and changing, stressing that this musical chairs approach cannot continue. He emphasised the need for the team management to identify and back a suitable candidate for the position and begin grooming players with a long-term vision in mind.
"Let me play devil’s advocate — there were three spinners, two fast bowlers, and the West Indies didn’t get bowled out by us the second time. And it was a flat pitch; maybe they felt they wouldn’t bowl them out, so they wanted one more bowler. I don’t think the decision had anything to do with batting. If Washington plays, or if Axar plays, they will score so many runs that you won’t miss Sai Sudharsan’s batting contribution. That happens,” said Chopra.
"When the team is winning, that becomes one part of cricket — but the second part is preparing players and taking them forward. And Sai Sudharsan yes, he scored runs and still got dropped. It’s true — if you’re not in the playing XI, that doesn’t mean you suddenly become a useless player. India has a chance here to prepare their players. The No. 3 spot cannot become a game of musical chairs. Rahul Dravid, Cheteshwar Pujara — if you don’t identify the right guy now, then what? There was Karun Nair, maybe next time you’ll see Abhimanyu Easwaran — and then Sai doesn’t get prepared at all," he added.
