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Talented left-handed batter Sai Sudharsan received his maiden ODI call-up for the upcoming ODI series against South Africa, starting on December 17.
The three-match ODI series against South Africa proves to be an excellent avenue for Team India to test out their bench strength yet again. With the spotlight firmly set on the T20Is and Tests due to their importance to the 2024 T20 World Cup preparations and World Test Championship (WTC), respectively, the ODIs present themselves as a massive opportunity for the fringe players.
Sudharsan has had an eventful 2023 so far, beginning with a prolific Indian Premier League (IPL) season for the Gujarat Titans (GT). He played a massive role for the team following Kane Williamson's injury, scoring 362 runs in eight innings at an average of 51.71.
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The southpaw scored a memorable 96-run knock off just 47 deliveries in the final against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). He then represented India A at the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup and also had a stint with Surrey in county cricket.
Expressing his delight at having been called up to the senior side for the first time, Sai Sudharsan told Sportstar:
"It is a great feeling, and I am a bit lost for words. It is a dream come true for me, but at the same time, this is just the beginning, and there are many areas where I need to improve."
On that note, let's taka a look at three reasons why Sai Sudharsan's ODI selection for the South Africa tour is the right move.
#1 Has piled on runs in home and away conditions
The primary reason behind Sai Sudharsan's selection is simply because he has always been among the runs. He has handled tough situations and conditions and even shown his adapting prowess to excel across all three formats.
Apart from his exceptional IPL season, he was among the leading run-scorers in the Emerging Asia Cup in Sri Lanka. His county stint with Surrey was also notable as he compiled 116 runs in three innings, which is good enough for starters.
He has shown the ability to deal with pace and spin quite well and is on course for a crucial phase in his career, where he can be a part of the player pool consistently.
#2 India need young guns to be ready when the seniors exit
The development of youngsters has always been a priority for Team India, but it may hold more importance than ever considering that a transition across formats is on the horizon.
The likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are taking a backseat from the shortest format, while it may be the end of an era for the once-prolific pair of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane.
While India have groomed a specific batch of players anticipating such a time, there can never be too many options. With the current cricketing calendar, the deployment of the second-string team will be more common than ever, which is why fast-tracking talented players might prove to be handy in the long run.
The likes of Sai Sudharsan and Tilak Varma among others can play for India across all formats in the future and have age on their side as well. The sooner they are exposed to international cricket, the better it is, as it will ensure a seamless transition phase.
#3 Will learn a lot from a tough challenge
While the ODI series might not be important in the grand scheme of things, it cannot be dismissed by any means. South Africa is a challenging place to tour, and India have enough evidence from their experiences to attest to the same.
The Men in Blue suffered a humiliating 3-0 loss to South Africa in the ODI series, the last time they toured. Furthermore, an in-form Proteas side coming off an excellent World Cup campaign will be a tough nut to crack.
The challenge will be a testing one, and while Sai Sudharsan has proved himself, he still has to show that he belongs at the highest level. Furthermore, even the second-string squad has internal competition, and he will have to ward off the threat with a good set of outings.
All in all, this will be an excellent learning curve for the youngster irrespective of his returns from the series with the bat.
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