TimesofIndia.com in Manchester: On a day when India’s batters showed grit against England’s disciplined attack, Sai Sudharsan credited India’s Test captain Shubman Gill for his calm guidance that helped him craft a vital 61 off 151 balls on Day 1 of the fourth Test at Old Trafford.“After first game, Shubi (Shubman Gill) gave me complete backing behind the scenes. He tells everybody clearly. It’s been same Shubi from IPL,” Sudharsan told reporters in the press conference after the day’s play on Wednesday.Sudharsan, who replaced Karun Nair in the playing XI, looked composed even on a challenging surface that offered inconsistent bounce and seam movement. “There was variable bounce, two-paced wicket. Throughout the day, the ball was moving and was doing something off the pitch,” he explained. The young left-hander was candid about his dismissal, a mistimed pull to fine leg. “I didn’t know how I edged it down the leg. England do it quite often for other batters too. I was quite aware coming into this game,” he said.Despite the pressure of a comeback Test, Sudharsan insisted he was focused on playing for the team. “I am not looking at this as pressure but an opportunity to express myself. I wanted to play the situation and do well for the team,” he further said.
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Sudharsan also revealed that Rishabh Pant was struggling with pain after being struck on the right foot during his aggressive 37-run knock. “Rishabh Pant was in a lot of pain. He was batting really well today as well,” he remarked, hinting at a possible concern for the team management ahead of Day 2.India finished Day 1 at 264/4, with Ravindra Jadeja (19 not out) and Shardul Thakur (19 not out) holding fort. Yashasvi Jaiswal (58) and Sudharsan’s composed innings has given India a solid platform, but Pant’s injury could be the key talking point moving forward.
