NEW DELHI: India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir has confirmed that left-handed batter Sai Sudharsan will slot in at number three for the one-off Test against Afghanistan, which starts on Saturday in New Chandigarh.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Gambhir said Sudharsan had not been given enough time to settle into the role, adding that the team intends to back him through a longer run. “Sai Sudharsan hasn’t got a fair chance. He played in England. We will give him a longer rope,” Gambhir said. He also argued that selection should not be based on only a handful of outings. “We can only pick 11 players and Sai isn’t in bad form. He scored 700 runs in the IPL. If we judge Sai on the basis of 4-5 games, we will never be able to build something,” he added.
Why No. 3 has been a moving target for India
The number three spot has remained unsettled for India in Test cricket since Cheteshwar Pujara exited the team. After Pujara’s departure, seven different batters have been tried in the one-drop position, yet none have managed to establish themselves as the long-term option.
Several of those players were also not afforded an extended opportunity in the role. Pujara announced his retirement in 2025, although his most recent Test appearance for India came in the 2023 World Test Championship final.
Gill’s stretch and the shuffle that followed
Shubman Gill enjoyed the longest period at number three before moving to number four. The change came after he became Test captain following the retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from the format.
Since Gill’s move down the order, Sudharsan, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel and Devdutt Padikkal have all been used at number three.
South Africa series underlined the uncertainty
India’s 2-0 home series loss to South Africa further exposed the instability around the position. Washington Sundar was promoted to number three in the first Test at Eden Gardens, but after India struggled with their batting, he was pushed back down the order.
Sudharsan then returned to number three in the second Test in Guwahati against South Africa, but his output remained modest, with scores of 15 and 14.
In total, Sudharsan has played six Tests so far and is averaging a little over 27.
WTC outlook and Gambhir’s message
Even with India sitting sixth in the World Test Championship standings with 48.15 per cent of points, Gambhir insisted the side still believes it can mount a serious title challenge. “We believe that we can win the WTC. There is talent and hunger in this team,” he said.
On the quick turnaround after the IPL, Gambhir added that India will not be looking for excuses and stressed the mental demands of Test cricket. “There are no excuses. Test matches are about mental toughness,” he said.
