Young India batter Sai Sudharsan, who earned his maiden call-up to India’s red-ball squad for the upcoming five-match Test series against England, has revealed that fellow Chennai cricketer Washington Sundar has been an inspiration to him since his youth.
Sudharsan, a composed left-hander who may be handed his debut in the series beginning on Friday, 20 June, spoke of his admiration for Sundar in a heartfelt conversation shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Although only slightly younger than the versatile all-rounder, Sudharsan said Washington has long been a source of inspiration.
“He has been my inspiration since I was young. I have played a few games against him, so it is always special. To be honest, we have looked up to him a lot. I have practised once or twice (against Sundar), the way he went up and the way he played for the country, it was really quick, so I had that in my mind. He did well in the IPL, and then he played for the country. So it was a great motivator for me from Chennai. Knowing him since I was young, playing with him, it is kind of inspiring. It made me feel I want to do things the same way,” Sudharsan said.
Washington Sundar, who is hoping to secure a place in the playing XI amid competition from Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, was proud of Sudharsan’s development and acknowledged the impact the young batter is already having in their hometown.
“I have watched him on TV. There is a lot to take away from him, his skillset and work ethic he has got. He has inspired a lot of kids in Chennai, and I hope he will continue inspiring kids all over the world,” Sundar said.
Reflecting further on Sudharsan’s steady progress, he added: “He has told me about that quite a few times. A lot of my friends and coaches, as well, have spoken about his growth. He has only grown in the last three or four years and has got better with every year.”
India’s tour of England is scheduled from June to August 2025, featuring five Test matches at Headingley (Leeds), Edgbaston (Birmingham), Lord’s (London), Old Trafford (Manchester), and The Oval (London).
This series marks the beginning of a new chapter in Indian Test cricket, with Shubman Gill taking over as captain after the retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Gill leads a young Indian side through a transitional phase, aiming to maintain the team’s standing among the elite in the World Test Championship.
India’s Test squad for the England series: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.