'He's got the captain's backing': India coach backs Sai Sudharsan to shine at No.3 in India’s Test line-up

New Delhi: Sai Sudharsan knows too well that there are enough batters waiting in the wings to take the coveted No.3 slot, but India skipper Shubman Gill and the team management have faith in the Tamil Nadu southpaw’s ability to crack the Test code, assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate said on Wednesday.

Sudharsan, who will turn 24 next week, has had modest returns of 147 runs in seven innings so far with one half century.

“I am sure he does feel like he’s got our backing, like he’s got the captain’s backing and the coaching staff’s backing. And we feel he’ll deliver on his promise very soon,” Ten Doeschate had words of encouragement for the under-pressure youngster.

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With Rishabh Pant slated to return to Test cricket against South Africa and second keeper Dhruv Jurel showing admirable technique while scoring enough runs, Sudharsan no doubt is under the pump.

Does the possibility that Jurel could be pushed up the order once Pant comes back in the playing XI put pressure on Sudharsan?

“I’d imagine it does. You know, I think we’ve shown last week just what a good player he is. We’ve known that all along. Sometimes he’s got to fit into the middle order,” Ten Doeschate said ahead of second Test versus West Indies starting here Friday.

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“And, in addition to that, there are other good players who are fighting for top three or top four spots. Shubhman got number four done for now.

“So Sai is aware of that. Look, I don’t think you pursue a career of playing cricket in India if you don’t expect that sort of competition. That’s quite impossible and we know it is tough enough to deal with that.

“Like I say, he’s got to go out there and score the runs we think he’s worthy of getting,” Ten Doeschate said as things stand at the moment.

He feels that Sudharsan knows where he stands.

“I think he’s under no illusion and he can’t hide away from the fact that you do fight for a spot in this environment. You know, you saw Karun Nair get four Test matches in England.

“There are a lot of good players sort of fighting at the heels of whoever has possession of that spot. So Sai just needs to focus on believing in himself. We’ve obviously got a lot of belief in him to give him that number three spot.”

While he made a tactical error playing all over a half tracker and getting adjudged leg before, Ten Doeschate hinted that he will get to play enough games and the coaching staff hasn’t hit the panic mode with his form.

“Certainly there is no panic or no worry, particularly in a winning team, you can absorb that.

“In a series like this, we know he’s going to get four knocks. Obviously only one knock in the first Test match to put his head together. It’s probably a little bit early to be sort of worried or panic-stricken.”

He also explained that Sudharsan had to wait six weeks post England series to play another Test, and after the upcoming game, there will be a month’s gap before he takes on South Africa in Kolkata.

“You know, it doesn’t help that you have five Test matches in the UK and then you wait six weeks to play the next Test match. It’s the same thing happening after this Test next week.

“We don’t have a Test match for another three and a half weeks. So there’s no sort of string of fixtures to get your rhythm and to get yourself going. But again, that is the nature of Test cricket in this era, and he has to find a way to do it.”