The 23-year-old left-handed batter Sai Sudharsan has garnered the admiration of former England spinner Monty Panesar, who believes he has the potential to become a significant player in Indian cricket. Sudharsan, who has received his first Test call-up for the upcoming five-match series against England, which begins on June 20 in Leeds, was in outstanding form for the Gujarat Titans during the IPL 2025. He opened the batting for the Shubman Gill-led side in 15 matches, scoring 759 runs, including one century and six half-centuries.
Sudharsan’s performances earned him the title of Emerging Player of the Year and the Orange Cap for the season. The Tamil Nadu-based batter has already represented India in three ODIs and one T20I. He is now expected to play a crucial role in the upcoming Test series.
Sudharsan’s aggressive and fearless approach impressed Panesar, who played 50 Tests for England between 2006 and 2013, taking 167 wickets. Panesar believes that Sudharsan has the potential to become the next super star in Indian cricket.
“India should carry forward the legacy of Virat Kohli and his style of Test cricket,” Panesar told InsideSport.
When asked if anyone could step into Virat Kohli’s shoes, Panesar responded,
“Yes, there are some really talented youngsters in the team, and one batsman in particular stands out—Sai Sudharsan, who played for Surrey as an overseas player. He’s very aggressive, fearless, and has performed well in English conditions. I believe he has the potential to be the next big star of Indian cricket,” he added.
Sudharsan has scored 1957 runs in 29 First-Class matches, including a memorable double century against Delhi at the Arun Jaitley Stadium during the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season.