Ravi Shastri backs GT opener Sudharsan for spot in India’s Test squad for England tour

New Delhi: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has called for the inclusion of Gujarat Titans’ opener Sai Sudharsan in India’s squad for the upcoming five-match Test series in England, following the 23-year-old’s standout show in the ongoing IPL 2025.

Sudarshan has accumulated over 456 runs in nine matches in IPL 2025 and is a strong contender for an orange cap, sitting behind the leader Suryakumar Yadav (475 runs in 11 games) of Mumbai Indians. The southpaw has smashed five half-centuries, playing a pivotal role in helping the Titans maintain their position in the top four as the league stage enters its final two weeks.

Speaking on the latest episode of The ICC Review, Shastri threw his support behind Sudharsan, who has played three ODIs for India but is yet to make a Test debut and called him a future all-format player for India.

“I see this young man, Sai Sudharsan, for all formats of the game. He seems like a class player and my eyes would be on him certainly,” Shastri said.

Sudharsan brings valuable experience in English conditions, having turned out for Surrey in the County Championship in 2023 and 2024. In five matches, he has scored 281 runs, including a century and a fifty.

In 29 first-class matches overall, he has 1957 runs at an average of 39.93, including a maiden double-century in the format in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season for Tamil Nadu against Delhi in October 2024.

“Being a left-hander in England, knowing English conditions, and just his technique, the way he plays, I think he’ll be top of the list for me from the outsiders wanting to get into this side,” added Shastri.

Shastri further expressed a desire to include a left-arm pacer in the squad for the seam-friendly English conditions, suggesting Arshdeep Singh as a suitable option.

“I’ll be looking for a left-armer. I’ll be keeping an eye on which left-armer is in good form, and try and squeeze him in there as the sixth (bowling) option. It could be anyone. It could even be a white-ball specialist. I don’t like this thing when they say someone like Arshdeep Singh is a ‘white-ball specialist’.

“I’ll keep a close eye on his red-ball record as well and the number of overs he bowls. If he can bowl 15-20 overs for me, he might very well be in the mix because he’s got the mindset. He’s a thinking bowler and I need a left-armer. It’s just that,” he said.

Arshdeep has shown promise in red-ball cricket, claiming 66 wickets in 21 first-class matches. His recent stint was with Kent in the 2024 County Championship, where he picked up 13 wickets in five games and gained valuable exposure in English conditions.

“You need a left-armer, go and find him, whoever it is and whoever the best of the lot is – pick them. There’s Khaleel Ahmed, who again, his rhythm is good, he’s bowling well. So it’s important to get that mix.”

Khaleel, with 52 wickets in 19 first-class matches, has also been on the selectors’ radar. He was part of the Australia tour, initially with India A and later as a travelling reserve for the Border-Gavaskar series, though a niggle cut his time short.

“You need a left-armer, go and find him, whoever it is and whoever is the best of the lot – pick them. There’s Khaleel Ahmed, who again, his rhythm is good, he’s bowling well. So it’s important to get that mix.”

Both Arshdeep and Khaleel have previously featured in India’s limited-overs squads, but are yet to make their Test debuts.

Shastri also shared the idea of bringing back Shreyas Iyer to the Test squad, especially after his recent inclusion in India’s central contract list.

“He (Shreyas Iyer) can (make a comeback), but it’s again going to be a competition. White-ball, certain. Test cricket, we’ve got to see who the other players are around,” Shastri noted.

England will host India for a five-Test series – the first of the next cycle of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 – starting with the first Test in Edgbaston, Birmingham June 20.

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