Gujarat Titans’ (GT) top-order batter Sai Sudharsan had a breakthrough season in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. While many were expecting in-form Shubman Gill to fire in the IPL final, it was Sudharsan who rose to the occasion and scored a record-breaking 96 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The Chennai-born batter earned praises from current and former cricketers for scoring at a strike rate over 200 with orthodox shots.
Few days after IPL 2023 final, Ravichandran Ashwin’s tweet from July 2021 has resurfaced. In the tweet, Ashwin praised Sudharsan after watching him play in Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). The bowling all-rounder also felt that he should get a call-up from Tamil Nadu Test side.
Former CSK batter Robin Uthappa and two-time IPL-winner shared the tweet. Uthappa feels that Sudharsan is an all-format player.
On the back of a successful season in local domestic league where he scored 358 runs from eight matches at a strike rate of 143.8. Later, he was roped in by Titans for his base price of Rs 20 lakh in mega auction.
IPL record
In his debut IPL season, he scored 145 runs from six games at an average of 36.25 including one half-century. He scored at a strike rate of 127.19. He was retained for the following season. In IPL 2023, he scored 362 runs at an average of 51.71 including three half-centuries. He scored at a strike rate of 141.41.
In IPL 2023, the 21-year-old registered the highest score by an uncapped player in an IPL final. He broke Manish Pandey’s record which was created in IPL 2014 final for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) against Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). Sudharsan’s 96 helped GT post 214/4, the highest innings total in the final.
Domestic record
The southpaw made his first-class debut in December 2022. He has scored 572 runs at an average of 47.66 including two centuries and one half-century. In List A format, he has scored 664 runs from 11 matches at an average of 60.36 including three centuries and two half-centuries.
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