The Gautam Gambhir-Shubman Gill combination hasn’t even started, and reports of disagreements have already emerged. Apparently, the Indian head coach denied the idea of having Sai Sudharsan in India’s squad for the five-match Test series against England, starting on June 20. While the southpaw was finally drafted in, it wasn’t until the new designated captain, Shubman Gill, had a “half-hour” persuasion task to convince Gambhir.
Gambhir didn’t want Sai Sudharsan?
While Sudharsan was ecstatic over his maiden Test call-up, the Gujarat Titans (GT) opener might not have known that his head coach didn’t initially want him. The development occurred just before the squad selection was made and left the entire panel of selectors in shock.
“Gautam Gambhir himself was a left-handed opener, and opposing Sai’s name didn’t make much of a sense,” a BCCI source told CricBlogger. While Sudharsan’s selection was on expected lines for many, Gambhir’s planning was a bit different. The Indian batting unit was set for a revamp after the retirement of two stalwarts in Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. While it is a three-way battle for an opening spot, Sudharsan is likely to fill the number three position.
Cricket 10 mins BCCI makes U-turn on split captaincy with Shubman GillWell, this isn’t the first time a report has emerged about Gambhir’s disagreements over a player’s selection. Earlier this year, during the ODI Champions Trophy time frame, Gambhir and BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar apparently had a “heated debate” over the inclusion of Shreyas Iyer. Iyer, who has proved to be India’s X-factor in the last two 50-over ICC tournaments, wasn’t considered for a Test comeback either.
Sudharsan warranted a Test spot
Talking about Sai Sudharsan, the GT opener has been having an incredible IPL 2025. He is the leading run-getter of the high-stakes tournament, having mustered 679 runs at an average of 52.23 and at a strike rate of 155.37, including five fifties and a superlative hundred in a 200-run chase.
What makes Sudharsan’s case intriguing is his compact technique and temperament. He rarely looks flustered, and his conversion rate is impressive for someone so early in his career. In the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, he averaged 76 with a double century.
Critics may argue that the IPL isn’t a yardstick for Test selection, but Sudharsan’s consistency in a high-pressure tournament like the IPL is what makes him a genuine contender for a spot in a hollow Indian batting order. Having said that, it remains to be seen if he actually gets a spot in the side or if Gambhir’s influence might just delay his Test debut further.
India’s Squad for 5-match Tests vs England
Batters: Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Abhimanyu Easwaran
All-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur
Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav
Gautam Gambhir opposed Shubman Gill for Sai Sudharsan’s inclusion in India’s Test squad Inside Sport India.
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