Day 1 of the India vs West Indies Test in Ahmedabad saw a tough outing for young batter Sai Sudharsan.
Playing at the crucial No.3 spot, he could only manage seven runs before being trapped LBW by Roston Chase.
This has once again raised questions about his consistency, with former cricketer Aakash Chopra openly saying that Sudharsan has not scored enough to secure his place.
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The selectors had trusted him with this position after his debut series in England, but his struggles continue.
With India going through a batting transition and Shubman Gill moving to No.4, the No.3 slot is under heavy competition.
Aakash Chopra criticised Sai Sudharsan after Day 1 of IND vs WI Test
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra explained that Sudharsan must deliver runs quickly to hold on to the spot. He said that mistakes are natural for a batter, but not learning from them can cost a career.
According to him, a straight bat against the wrong length will almost always lead to a dismissal, which has what happened in Ahmedabad.
"I'm a little disappointed for Sai Sudharsan, because he has not scored enough runs to cement the No.3 spot. I'll tell you one thing, one mistake is allowed in cricket, which is to pick the wrong length, but if you play with a straight bat on top of that, then batters get out nine times out of ten," Aakash Chopra said.
How has Sai Sudharsan performed in Tests so far?
The left-hander has played only seven innings in Test cricket, scoring 147 runs. His career began with a duck on debut in Leeds during the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy series.
After being dropped for a couple of matches, he came back strong with a half-century at Old Trafford. But since then, his scores have been patchy, without the big knocks needed to settle his position.
Ahead of the West Indies clash, Sudharsan did find some rhythm while playing for India A against Australia A in Lucknow, where he scored 248 runs in three innings, including a hundred in a record chase.
That form gave him another chance in the senior team. However, the Ahmedabad failure means the pressure is once again back on him.
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