Sudharsan is part of a strong India A contingent traveling for the red-ball series in New Zealand.
India batter Sai Sudharsan confirmed that the national selection committee, led by interim chief selector Pragyan Ojha, instructed him to play for Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy. This direct instruction was intended to serve as red-ball preparation for India's upcoming tour of New Zealand.
Sudharsan was initially on India A duty in Puducherry facing Australia A. Following advice from selectors on October 10, he skipped the third unofficial ODI to reach Jaipur at the eleventh hour for Tamil Nadu's campaign opener against Rajasthan.
“I had finished a game in Puducherry. There was a day’s break before another game. On that day (October 10), our manager told me that the selectors had asked me to play the Ranji Trophy.
“After the first day’s play here, I spoke with Pragyan Ojha (interim chief National selector). He said it would be good for the upcoming New Zealand series — for preparation. That was the clarity from their side,” Sudharsan said, as quoted by Sportstar.
To counter the challenging conditions in New Zealand, Sudharsan revealed he has been watching old game footage of legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. He noted that the pitches will likely be windy with extra bounce and lateral movement, comparable to playing in England.
“I have gathered a little information. It will be a bit windy, and there will be good bounce. It will be somewhat similar to England, but there will be a bit more lateral movement.
“Sachin paaji has scored there, so I watched his batting. I watched Dravid sir’s batting. I try to grab knowledge from that and execute whatever is possible for me,” he stated.
The southpaw also reflected on having previously missed India's two-match Test series in Sri Lanka due to a toe injury.
“I wasn’t disappointed, because I believe everything good is ahead of us. That’s the best way of looking at it. The last few injuries have been freakish, but because of them, I’ve probably gotten better with my habits and have a better understanding of how to take care of my body — how much I bat and things like that,” he remarked.
Sai Sudharsan is part of a strong India A contingent traveling for the red-ball series in New Zealand starting October 24, a squad that includes senior stars like KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant.
The shadow tour, featuring three four-day fixtures against New Zealand A, has been specifically arranged to serve as vital red-ball preparation ahead of the senior Indian men's team’s two-match Test series against the Kiwis in November.