Published on: Jun 5, 2026 5:18 pm IST|Updated on: Jun 5, 2026 5:18 pm IST
As Team India prepares to face Afghanistan in a lone Test at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, on June 6, head coach Gautam Gambhir has confirmed that Gujarat Titans’ batting maestro B Sai Sudharsan will be batting at no 3.
The young left-hander from Tamil Nadu made his Test debut last year in England as Cheteshwar Pujara’s replacement at the third position in the batting order. However, despite a modest start to his red-ball career, the team management is determined to give the 24-year-old a long and steady run in the purest format of the game.
Ever since head coach Gautam Gambhir led team management decided to move on from the ever-so-reliable Cheteshwar Pujara in the Test setup, the number three spot has become a revolving door. Finding a dependable batsman who can weather the new ball and anchor the innings has proven to be a jigsaw puzzle for India to solve.
Team India’s desperation to find stability at no 3 was highly visible in their last home Test series against South Africa, where the hosts got pummeled 0-2. In an unexpected tactical move, the management promoted bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar to bat at number three.
Although Sundar showed immense grit, the experiment only highlighted India’s ongoing struggle to find a specialist anchor for that vital position. The constant shuffling has hurt the batting lineup’s consistency, making Sudharsan’s upcoming assignment against Afghanistan incredibly important.
B Sai Sudharsan made his Test debut in 2025 in the first Test of India’s tour of England. Head coach Gautam Gambhir was desperate to find a successor to Cheteshwar Pujara, and he wasted no time in throwing his weight behind the Tamil Nadu left-hander.
Speaking to the media ahead of the only Test vs Afghanistan, Gambhir emphasized that judging a player purely on a handful of games, especially when those games started in tough English conditions, is unfair.
“Sai Sudharsan has not got a fair chance. He played mostly in England and I believe he needs to get a fair chance. We can pick 11 and Sai isn’t in bad form. He scored 700 runs in IPL. If we judge Sai on basis of 4-5 games we will never be able to build something.”
There’s no doubt over B Sai’s ability as a top-order batter. He enters the Afghanistan Test on the back of yet another terrific IPL campaign for the Gujarat Titans, where he smashed 722 runs across 17 innings at a striking rate of 157.98, including a century and eight fifties. The coach firmly believes the left-hander’s red-hot form will translate into the purest form of the game, particularly when he is playing at home.
B Sai’s Test career has been brief so far as he has batted only in 11 innings across 6 games, scoring 302 runs at an abysmal average of 27.45. Take a look at exactly how Sudharsan’s brief Test career has played out across his 11 innings:
While B Sai has locked his place in the eleven for the only Test vs Afghanistan, many experts feel unlucky for Karnataka’s left-hand batter, Devdutt Padikkal. The elegant left-hander had his best IPL stint in the recently concluded season for the eventual champions RCB. Batting right at number three, Padikkal hammered 464 runs across 15 innings at a blistering strike rate of 168.72.
Besides his scintillating IPL run, Padikkal had a brilliant run in the domestic red-ball circuit as well. The Karnataka batter plundered 543 runs at an average of 60.33 in the recent Ranji Trophy season, proving his worth in the longest format of the game.
Given his recent domestic returns, Padikkal could have easily played this Test match batting at no 3, but head coach Gautam Gambhir had different ideas. For now, Padikkal will have to wait in the wings and trust his process. The No. 3 batting spot in India’s Test lineup remains fragile, and another shuffle could be on the horizon. However, Saturday’s Test against Afghanistan presents Sudharsan with a golden opportunity to justify the faith shown in him and stake a permanent claim as India’s next reliable number three.