Sai Sudharsan forced to watch Virat Kohli when distraction threatened his career, mother could no longer watch her son…

Over the years, the Indian Premier League has become, if not the only, then one of the biggest criteria for selection in the Indian cricket team. Just last year, Harshit Rana got his big break after impressing for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024. Nitish Reddy was another classic example, as were T Natarajan and Umran Malik before them. So when Sai Sudharsan and Arshdeep Singh were included in India's 18-member squad to tour England for a five-Test series was picked yesterday, their names did not really come as a surprise. Sai Sudharsan received his maiden India Test call-up(PTI)

The BCCI also gave domestic cricket importance, evident from Karun Nair's return to the national fold after eight long years. Arshdeep's inclusion was only a matter of time, considering the number of years he has been around. Nair's was too strong a case to ignore, but with Sudharsan's inclusion, the message is clear: Indian cricket was looking towards the future.

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Sudharsan's pick became a tad easier for Ajit Agarkar and his selection committee when Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announced their retirements. Still, with the likes of Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel waiting in the wings, Sudharsan did face competition. But then again, Agarkar and his colleagues saw something in him that the others did not possess. The knack of getting back up when life kicks you down.

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Sudharsan has battled various adversities in life, none more telling than the lockdown period, when the batter, consumed by distractions, threatened to throw his cricketing career away. A report in The Indian Express states that it was the time when Sai's mother, Usha Bharadwaj, took matters into her hands to turn his son’s career inside out. She pulled up her son and made him watch the one and only Virat Kohli's net sessions, citing his focus and dedication as example. The move worked wonders as Sai turned over a new leaf, his efforts and consistency culminating in a maiden India Test call-up.

"My mother takes care of my strength and conditioning and my dad (R Bharadwaj, a former national-level athlete) handles my running aspect. And I have my brother (B Sai Ram) who offers all the support. They know me completely. They understand my emotions. Because they are knowledgeable, they can make a difference in my life," Sudharsan told the daily.

Sai Sudharsan's brother's support equally crucial

Sai draws inspiration from more than just his mother. Last year, a sports hernia threw a spanner in the works for Sai, who required surgery in London. His brother in Australia stepped up, making calls to ensure their parents were by Sai's side during the operation.

"It all happened at the last minute and thanks to my brother, my parents were there a day after the surgery. I was in no position to move for the first three days, so having them around was a huge help. It is such moments that remind me how fortunate I'm to have such parents. They always think about me and my brother. They also have a lot of things going on in their lives, but they always put our interests at the forefront. As I’m growing older, I’m getting to understand the value of their sacrifices. But they won’t show it, even now when she calls, all that she wants to know is if I had my meal or not," he added.

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