IPL 2023: Hardik Pandya showers rich praise on match-winner Sai Sudharsan, expects youngster to 'hopefully' play for India

Defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) have picked from where they left off last season.

SportsTak

• Wed • 05 Apr 2023

Defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) have picked from where they left off last season. Hardik Pandya's men on April 4 (Tuesday) registered a convincing six-wicket win against the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. After the victory, the Titans jumped to the top spot in the points table as the franchise now has two wins in as many games played. The protagonist behind GT's win on Tuesday was Sai Sudharsan, who displayed a great head on his young shoulders.

Chasing a target of 163 runs, the 21-year-old walked in to bat with his team under pressure and Anrich Nortje breathing fire with the ball. The left-handed Sudharsan remained unfazed by what was happening at the other end and continued to play his game to perfection. At the end, Sudharsan remained unbeaten on 62 runs off 48 balls and helped his team gun down the target with 11 balls to spare.

After the game, GT captain Hardik spoke highly of the young batter and said he expects Sudharsan to do 'great things' in franchise cricket and hopefully for India as well.

"He (Sai Sudharsan) is been batting terrifically. Credit to the support staff and to him as well. The amount of batting he's done in the last 15 days, all the result you see is all his hard work. Going forward, if I'm not wrong, in two years, he'll do something great for franchise cricket and eventually for India cricket as well," Hardik told the host broadcaster after the game.

Sudharsan smacked four fours and two sixes in his attractive knock. For his efforts with the bat, the left-handed batter was awarded the Man of the Match award. Upon winning the trophy, Sudharsan thanked his skipper for backing him.

"Thanks for backing me. A little bit nervous as this is my first award. I was thinking about what needs to be done right. I wasn't under pressure," the youngster told the host broadcaster.

"It was a bit low and skidding, my plan was to take the game deep. Weathering the storm (was more satisfying). It was seaming initially, I played late and that was the highlight for me," Sudharsan added.