Meet Sai Sudharsan, GT's rising star who made ODI debut for India in series opener vs South Africa

"Going forward, if I’m not wrong, in two years, he’ll do something great for franchise cricket and eventually for India," former Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper Hardik Pandya had famously said when youngster Sai Sudharsan played a stroke-filled knock of 62 off 48 balls against Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. Seven months after Pandya’s praise-worthy statement for the GT star, premier batter Sudharsan made his One Day International (ODI) debut for Team India against South Africa on Sunday.

Debutant Sudharsan was roped in by Gujarat Titans for a bargain price of INR 20 lakh(PTI-BCCI)

One of the most exciting prospects in Indian cricket, Sudharsan received his maiden India cap from stand-in skipper KL Rahul before the traditional toss for the first ODI between India and South Africa at New Wanderers Stadium. “Looking forward to a cracker of a game. There was a of spin and it was try, we'll try to put pressure on them. Sai Sudharsan is on debut today. There are a few names that have played a lot of IPL cricket. Ruturaj did well, Tilak seems exciting, Sanju is always exciting,” Rahul said after South Africa won the toss and opted to bat in the ODI series opener.

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GT signed Sudharsan for INR 20 lakh

Thanks to his meteoric rise in IPL and Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), Sai became a household name in white-ball format. The Indian batter featured in Tamil Nadu's squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Sudharsan was roped in by Gujarat Titans for a bargain price of INR 20 lakh. In his debut season for the Titans, the Indian youngster scored 145 runs in 5 matches. Sudharsan registered his first-ever half-century in his debut IPL season.

Sudharsan became the highest-paid player at the inaugural TNPL auction earlier this year. Returning for the world's richest league in GT's title-defending season, Sudharsan smashed 362 runs for Pandya and Co. in just 8 matches. The Indian batter notched up three half-centuries for the 2022 winners last season. Sudharsan further raised his stocks by playing a sensational knock of 96 off 47 balls in the IPL 2023 final between GT and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Narendra Modi Stadium.

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