I am understanding what a No. 3 player has to do for the team: Sudharsan

BENGALURU: Sai Sudharsan seems to have nailed the No. 3 slot in the Indian Test side for the foreseeable future, but the graceful left-hander said he is still learning the tactical demands of that position — a critical component for him to gain upper hand over bowlers.

Sudharsan will turn out for two India A games against South Africa A ahead of the two-match home series against the Rainbow Nation later this month.

“I am refining quite a lot of my footwork from a technical point of view. But more importantly, I am understanding what a number three player has to do for the team. I am understanding the role better and trying to implement that,” Sudharsan said on the eve of the four-day match here.

“There are not many technical differences, as I feel it’s more about getting better tactically. In international cricket, tactical pointers and tactical advantage are very important to just be one notch up to the bowler, I am working on that."

Sudharsan said attaining tactical edge over the opposition is vital because loopholes will get severely exposed at the highest-level of cricket.

“In international cricket, you do not have so many loopholes to play with, you do not have so many gaps to fill because almost everybody (you face) is one of the best in their country.

“So, I think it is all about the tactical changes that you do and tactical objectives that you use against a particular bowler according to the strengths and weaknesses they have. I feel that is what I am learning now, I am probably refining it more and finding the best pattern to be the No. 3 for India,” he added.

At times, a cricketer can get a tad desperate while on the learning curve, but Sudharsan said he is not particularly looking to consolidate his personal spot in the side because it can push him into a negative mindset.

“I feel when I think about sealing or cementing (the spot) or getting runs and becoming safe in that spot, I feel I go a bit defensive and I, you know, play for myself which I do not I definitely do not want to do any time.

“So, I am looking at it from a different perspective. When I go in it might be a 1-1 session with a bowler and I want to win that session and make a difference there for the team. So, that it builds up and eventually runs will be a by-product of that,” he said.

The 24-year-old said his primary aim is to win matches for the team rather than focusing on individual goals.

“I am playing for a reason. I want to win games, I want to fight for my team, I feel that is my motto or that is my mindset when I get in,” he said.

Learning to be versatile as KL Rahul

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In that context, the batting spot was not paramount for him as much as contributing to the team’s overall cause.

“To be honest, while playing for India we have to be really ready for whichever spot we are playing. We have a great example in KL (Rahul) who has played in almost all the spots.

"But he is so versatile that I think we can learn from him that we have to be ready for all those challenges. But yeah I have played quite a lot in number 3 in the IPL, I played quite a lot of games in number 3 when I was young — the Under 14 and 16 age categories. So, I enjoy it as well,” he added.

Gambhir’s backing

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Sudharsan has played five matches so far for 273 runs at an average of 30.33 with two fifties, and those numbers might look a bit underwhelming.

But the Tamil Nadu batter said head coach Gautam Gambhir has given him unstinting support to pursue his philosophy of cricket.

“To be honest, support was impeccable. I can give an anecdote. We were practicing in Ferozsha Kotla (ahead of the 2nd Test against the West Indies).

"I was the last to nets, and GG sir called me and said: ‘Don’t get desperate, you are here because of so many reasons, you are one of the best players in the country.

"So, do not think about any other things or do not think about whether I have to score runs in this game or what will happen or what not. He told me, "you will play, and the way he told that to me gave me so much confidence and so much freedom,” said Sudharsan.

The left-hander said Gambhir’s words freed him from the worries of not getting a hundred so far.

“I was trying to be more free, trying not to think about all the external factors and the magnitude, but when you hear it from the head coach, you suddenly get that freedom, the perspective and the environment change drastically."

Sudharsan said his current focus is on the game against South Africa A, and the two-match series, he said, is a brilliant platform for him ahead of the rubber against Proteas’ senior side.

“India A matches are very important and we are lucky enough to have it just before the main series so that we take this as a big opportunity and build up really well and understand the conditions and obviously, plan accordingly for the series," he added.