Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has thrown his support behind young Indian batter Sai Sudharsan, believing the 23-year-old has the talent to excel at the crucial No. 3 position in the future. Ponting, however, stressed that the Indian team management must back Sudharsan with consistent opportunities instead of constantly rotating players in that slot.
The debate around India’s No. 3 position resurfaced after a shaky start to their second innings in the Manchester Test. Chasing a 311-run deficit, India was reduced to 0/2 as Chris Woakes dismissed both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sudharsan for ducks. Sudharsan, who had impressed with a gritty 61 off 151 balls in the first innings, once again found himself under scrutiny after edging a delivery to second slip while caught in two minds whether to play or leave.
Constant Changes Hurting Young Players: Ponting
Ponting, speaking on Sky Sports, criticized India’s approach of frequently shuffling players at No. 3 since Cheteshwar Pujara’s exit after the 2023 WTC final loss to Australia. India has tried Shubman Gill, Devdutt Padikkal, KL Rahul, Sudharsan, and Karun Nair at the position, but except for Gill’s good run during the home season, the results have been underwhelming during overseas tours in Australia and England. “For a young player, constantly looking over your shoulder is not ideal,” Ponting said. “I was surprised they picked Sudharsan for the first Test and then left him out before bringing him back. At that age, you want reassurance from your captain and coaches that you’ll get a fair run. I have no doubt Sudharsan is good enough, but the team has to show faith in him.”
Ponting drew parallels with England’s approach under skipper Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, who have persisted with openers Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope despite inconsistent performances. “If you back your players, they will repay you with match-winning innings at some stage,” he added.
Sudharsan’s Domestic Numbers Back His Potential
Sudharsan, who made his Test debut at Leeds before being dropped for the next two games, has now scored 91 runs in four innings on the tour. While questions remain about his shot selection and temperament in challenging overseas conditions, his domestic record is promising. In 30 first-class matches, he has scored 1,987 runs at an average of 38.96, including seven centuries and five fifties, with a best of 213.
India’s Fightback at Manchester
India’s second innings at Manchester started disastrously with Jaiswal and Sudharsan dismissed without scoring. However, KL Rahul and captain Shubman Gill staged a strong recovery, putting together an unbeaten 174-run partnership. Rahul was unbeaten on 87, while Gill finished on 78 as India ended Day 4 on 174/2, still trailing England by 137 runs. Earlier, England had posted a massive first-innings total of 669, powered by big centuries from Joe Root and Ben Stokes, along with vital contributions from the lower order. India, which had scored 358 in their first innings, now faces an uphill task heading into the final day. Avoiding defeat will itself be an achievement given the match situation.
Looking Ahead
India will need their overnight pair, Rahul and Gill, to continue their resilience if they are to salvage a draw on Day 5. Ponting’s words about backing young players like Sudharsan may prove crucial for India’s long-term plans at the pivotal No. 3 spot.