'I am a bit lost for words' - Sai Sudharsan speaks up on his maiden India call-up

On Thursday, November 30, Sai Sudharsan, the young cricketer from Tamil Nadu received his first call-up to the Indian team. He has been selected for India's ODI squad for the South Africa series to be played in December.

Sai, who played a remarkable innings of 96 runs for Gujarat Titans in the final of the 2023 Indian Premier League, expressed his excitement. He mentioned that he was speechless but also acknowledged that there is still room for improvement in his game

“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,” Sai Sudharsan told Sportstar in an interview on Thursday.

Gujarat Titans acquired Sai for INR 20 lakh, and he proved to be a valuable player for them. His performances not only earned him praise but also a contract with Surrey for the final three matches of the 2023 County Championship, showing his growing reputation in the cricket world.

“I learned a lot playing in all these tournaments, and the exposure it has given me has helped me improve as a batter,” Sudarsan said about his 2-match County stint.

Despite his success, Sai remains focused on his current match against Punjab and helping his team qualify for the knockouts in the Vijay Hazare tournament

“But my first goal is to just focus on my match tomorrow (Friday) against Punjab and help the team qualify for the knockouts,” he further added.

Sudharsan's talent was showcased in the IPL 2023

In the 2023 IPL, Sudharsan became a cricketing sensation, proving his talent and establishing himself as a promising batter for the Gujarat Titans. He had an outstanding journey in the tournament, scoring 362 runs in eight matches with an impressive average of 51.71 and a strike rate of 141.4.

His consistent performance included three half-centuries, showcasing his ability to play both defensively and aggressively. His top score of the season was 96 runs off 47 balls in the IPL final against the mighty Chennai Super Kings.