I've grown a lot by watching Shubman Gill play: Sai Sudharsan

New Delhi, May 6 (IANS) Gujarat Titans in-form opener Sai Sudharsan said he has grown a lot by watching captain Shubman Gill play in the last three years during the IPL.

Sudharsan is having a prolific IPL 2025 season and has scored 504 runs in 10 games for Gujarat Titans, including five half-centuries. His sublime touch is one of the reasons behind Gujarat's rise in the tournament.

"I've always looked up to Shubman in these three years. If I have difficulty in the nets or difficulty facing somebody, I will have a conversation with him on what he feels I can do better. I’ve grown a lot because of him and by watching him play. Mentally, he’s a very competitive captain. And I feel he understands what the player needs. He is somebody who will give players who are facing difficulties a comfort zone, where they can come back stronger. We’ve shared a lot of memories on the field as well. Hopefully, we create lovely memories this season too," Sudharsan said on JioHotstar's 'Gen Bold'.

The 23-year-old added that the Orange Cup is just a by-product of the process. "Getting runs, being more impactful, and doing it at a very good strike rate - that’s where the responsibility kicks in for the team. If you’re consistent enough to make your team cross the line, that’s the most important thing. And the Orange Cap is a by-product. If you think about the Orange Cap, I feel your potential goes down. You restrict yourself a bit more because personal preferences come in front of team preferences."

Sudharsan shared his thoughts on the franchise’s faith in him and the sense of belonging that has driven his consistency. "Thanks to Ashish Nehra and all the support staff and the team, they had the trust in me from the first year. Because wherever you go, whichever team you play for, when a sense of belonging is given, you will also have that responsibility to give it back to the team. That’s the most important thing in any team. So that has helped me to express myself, whatever I want to do. There’s no judgment here."

Reflecting on the epic IPL 2023 final and his memorable performance, Sudharsan said, "I've never seen a more dramatic game than the 2023 IPL Final. I got retired out in the previous qualifier game, so there were a lot of mixed emotions, and those emotions and that experience taught me a lot. And that’s why the 2023 IPL Final game also came out well. The way I approached this game was a bit different. There was a sense of freedom on one hand, and there was a sense of motivation or a rage—that I should make a big difference in this game for my team."

--IANS

ab/bc