'Just one Test match, dropped....' - Former India player criticises Shubman Gill on dropping Sai Sudharsan after first ENG vs IND Test

Former Indian cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar observed that dropping Sai Sudharsan after just one Test match significantly impacted the young batter's confidence. According to Manjrekar, the early phase of Sudharsan’s innings in the Manchester Test against England reflected his shaken mindset. He highlighted Sudharsan’s hesitation, particularly when facing deliveries outside the off stump, as a visible sign of uncertainty. Manjrekar noted that the pressure of making a comeback after being benched might have weighed heavily on the left-hander, disrupting his usual flow and rhythm at the crease.

Manjrekar further explained that Sudharsan’s approach in the second Test appeared to be more about survival than scoring runs. The youngster’s cautious gameplay, he felt, stemmed from a fear of failure triggered by his exclusion after a low-scoring debut at Headingley. According to Manjrekar, such psychological pressure often alters a player's instincts, making them overly defensive. He believes that this mindset needs to shift if Sudharsan is to thrive at the highest level.

See Also: [WATCH] ENG vs IND 4th: Yashasvi Jaiswal outsmarted against England spinner Liam Dawson's sharp delivery

“Just going to focus on Sai Sudharsan here, it's a story in itself. Now he's come into bat, again, made a comeback into the playing XI, but I'm seeing some nerves here, the way he is batting. He's come with this pre-conceived mindset that he's going to leave everything outside off, which is not a bad thing to happen, but there were a couple of very over-pitched deliveries and some very close to the stumps that he left alone,” Manjrekar told on air via JioHotstar.

Just one Test match, dropped - would not have helped his confidence: Sanjay Manjrekar

Former India and Mumbai batter opined that Sai Sudharsan appeared noticeably more tense while batting in the ongoing Test compared to his debut outing in the first match. Walking in at No. 3 after KL Rahul’s dismissal in the 31st over, Sudharsan initially looked indecisive but gradually settled in and went on to score his maiden Test fifty. He was eventually dismissed for 61 off 151 deliveries during the final session. At Stumps on Day 1, India stood at 264/4 in 83 overs, with Sudharsan emerging as the team’s top scorer.

“And I really think when you have a young player to deal with, these are things you've got to be mindful of. They come with a very fragile kind of confidence. Just one Test match, dropped - would not have helped his confidence. He's come back into this Test and looking really nervous, much more than he did in his debut Test match I think,” added Manjrekar.