Sai Sudharsan concluded a dominant Day 1 for India with a solid reflection, highlighting a change in mindset that powered his significant contribution and a crucial partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal. The young number three batsman, who fell just shy of a maiden Test century, focused on the value of his innings and the lessons learned alongside his dynamic partner.

“It was a good contribution and very good partnership with Jaiswal,” Sudharsan stated, talking to the official broadcasters at the end of the Day’s play, acknowledging the 193-run stand that formed the backbone of India’s imposing total. His personal approach was key, marked by a deliberate shift away from forced aggression. “I was not thinking about getting runs, I was a bit more free and I expressed a bit better in this innings. I was able to take a bit more time and let things happen instead of trying to make things happen.”

Despite his mature knock, the human element of the game was clear in his words on missing the three-figure mark. “I am definitely grateful for whatever I’ve done today, but there’s always a monkey in our mind that wants more, wants that 100, and so I was looking forward to a lot more,” he admitted, a feeling that every batsman can relate to.

Sudharsan spoke glowingly about his time at the crease with Jaiswal, a player he finds both “Fascinating and so thrilling to watch.” He pointed to his partner’s attacking prowess as a learning opportunity, noting how “He converts a lot of good balls into boundaries, so it’s really good to watch.” Far from seeing competition, the partnership is a mentoring space. “He’s giving me more awareness of what kind of shots to be played… I am learning a lot more and being more aware of what shots to play if I want to convert good balls into runs.”

Looking ahead to Day 2 and beyond, Sudharsan offered his analysis of the pitch, predicting it will become increasingly challenging for batsmen. “I feel it’s staying a bit low and it will start to turn more from tomorrow. Even when you hit the ball, it’s not flying off your bat. Hopefully, off the rough it will start turning.” His assessment suggests the hard work put in on Day 1 will prove vital as the pitch starts to genuinely assist the spinners.