IPL 2025: Calm Sai Sudharsan begins season on strong note

BENGALURU: The sense of calm Sai Sudharsan brings to the crease can unsettle the best of bowlers. Since his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut in 2022, the southpaw has gone from strength to strength, and last season he scored 527 runs for Gujarat Titans. IPL-18 is still in its infancy but Sudharshan is already holding out the promise of going past that mark, having clobbered his way to 186 runs from three matches.
Against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Wednesday night, the 23-year-old opener scored a 36-ball 49. It wasn’t as easy as he made it look. The surface was tricky and RCB’s new-ball bowlers, Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, are no pushovers. It took him 12 deliveries to get his eye in, but on the 13th delivery, he improvised to hammer Hazelwood for a six over the ’keeper’s head.
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What stood out was Sudharsan’s timing and deft use of the wrists, especially against the pacers.
He began the season with a 74 and 63 against Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians and was looking for his third consecutive half-century, but a sloppy shot off Hazlewood left him one short. By then, he had batted until the 13th over and had set the stage for Jos Buttler, with whom he shared a 75-run association for the second wicket.
Sudharsan, who earned his India cap in 2023, attributed his form to his ability to adapt to different venues.
“It’s my fourth year (in IPL), and I’ve been exposed to difficult conditions,” he said. On his partnership with Buttler, he said, “Buttler brings in a lot of experience and knowledge, which helps us settle or stabilise the middle-overs and give us a chance of an excellent last five overs. Buttler’s innings (73 no; 39b) was excellent, because the wicket was not easy.”