Irani Cup | From Surrey to Rajkot in 24 hours — the Sai Sudharsan story

Sai Sudharsan with a young fan.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Sai Sudharsan played for Surrey versus Hampshire in the first division county championship from September 26 to 29 in Southampton, arrived here on Saturday (Sep. 30) and opened the innings for Rest of India in the Irani Cup on Sunday!

“I arrived at 7.30 yesterday (Saturday) night. 29th was the last day there, so 29th evening I took the 10-hour flight to Mumbai, and came here from Mumbai,” he said after the first day’s play versus Ranji champion Saurashtra.

He was on the pitch for 56.2 overs. It wasn’t easy. “When I was playing, I felt dizzy. Because it (the temperature) was 38-39 degrees today. So hot! There (in England) it was 15-16 degrees. So, definitely I felt dizzy. When I had batted through the first session, I felt like I had completed a day’s play!”

The difference in the time zone meant he had to change his sleep pattern and that has played its bit.

“I think I had just four hours’ sleep (on Saturday night). When I started the game here, it was 2 ‘O’ clock in the morning there (in England). So, I had gotten used to being in sleep at that time. Obviously, I had been there for only one month. But because of that time difference, it was a bit difficult, was a bit dizzy, but I adjusted and played.”

He not only had successfully adjusted his mindset, but also better adjusted to the day’s wicket. There was unpredictable turn and bounce. But it has helped that on his last two days in England he’d played on a similar wicket.

“But definitely, over the course of the innings, I felt extra tired.”

So, he had pushed himself, and adapted better, and the result? 72 runs off 164 balls with seven fours. Five other batters scored in the thirties. Given the context, the 21-year-old’s is a brave innings!