As India walked onto the field for the first Test match of the WTC 2025-27 cycle against England on June 20, 2025, young batting sensation Sai Sudharsan earned his first Test cap—and, of course, this was not only special for Sudharsan but also for those close to him who saw this milestone coming. One of the first people to publicly congratulate him was star all-rounder Hardik Pandya. He also made Sudharsan's achievement extra special. Hardik shared an Instagram story post with Sudharsan's photo and captioned it with "Well deserved! Go well," which not only went viral but also resonated with fans as well as fellow cricketers. 

The relationship between Hardik Pandya and Sai Sudharsan is developing, especially with the time they spent together in the IPL. As a senior team member and former skipper, Hardik has mentored young talent, and Sudharsan is one of them. Pandya's congratulatory post shows not just camaraderie but personal joy in seeing a younger teammate reach such a milestone.

Instagram story of Hardik Pandya for Sai Sudharsan ❤️ pic.twitter.com/6JildyxlEN

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 20, 2025

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A Historic Day in Indian Test Debuts

June 20 is not just a date in the history of Indian cricket; it is a date filled with the emergence of some of the most influential names. In 1996, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid made their Test debuts at Lord’s, and both later had great careers, becoming legends of the game. Ganguly scored a century on debut, while Dravid scored a near century with a superb 95.

On June 20, 2011, Virat Kohli also made his debut, a player who led India to historic series wins and became one of the best modern-day batsmen. Along with him, Abhinav Mukund and Praveen Kumar started their Test careers.

Fast-forward to 2023, and Sai Sudharsan will continue that legacy. He will wear Test cap No. 317 and take on that legacy. He has a calm yet confident demeanor, and the way he has performed in domestic cricket demonstrates he is up to the challenge. There certainly is a lot of history with June 20 in Indian cricket! Good luck, Sai!