Sai Sudharsan, the 22-year-old batting sensation enjoyed a remarkable season in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season and has shown maturity beyond his years. The Gujarat Titans (GT) batter who was roped in by the franchise at the 2022 IPL auction is considered one of the best talents to come out of the state of Tamil Nadu.
Despite being signed by the franchise, he was unsure whether he will get the chance to feature in the XI in the 2023 IPL season. However, a knee injury to Kane Williamson gave him the chance to display his game.
He did play five matches in 2022 and could collect 145 runs. But the next year, when Williamson’s injury opened the door for him, he didn’t disappoint. In 13 matches, Sudharsan racked up 507 runs, including four fifties at an average of 46.09 and a strike rate of 137.03. But he saved his best for the final. In the final, when CSK bowlers practiced hard to stop in-form Shubman Gill, it was Sudharsan, who collected 96 runs easily and on the back of whom, GT crossed 200.
Before becoming an IPL winner in 2022, he became the most expensive player in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) after Lyca Kovai Kings bought him for INR 21.6 lakh, which is more than the money GT spend on him. GT bought the Chennai-born batter at INR 20 lakh.
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Who are Sai Sudharsan’s parents? Know all about Usha Alagu and R Bhardwaj
Sudharsan was born on October 15, 2001, to mother Usha Alagu, and father R Bhardwaj. Sports run in Sai Sudharsan’s family’s blood. His mother was a state-level volleyball player during her younger days, while his father was a national-level athlete. Bhardwaj took part in the 100m event in the 1993 SAF Games in Dhaka.
Though Usha is disappointed she couldn’t reach the top, she has been a strength and conditioning coach for more than 20 years and has worked with cricketers like L Balaji, Abhinav Mukund, D Hemalatha, N Niranjana, and squash players, the likes of Joshna Chinappa and Deepika Pallikal.
At the same time, she has played a major role in Sudharsan’s fitness to make his body ready to meet the demands of playing all-format cricket. In one interview, Usha revealed how it was hard for a teen Sudharsan to follow a fitness routine. But she would make him watch former India captain Virat Kohli’s videos to motivate him.
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