Winning means more than stats and milestones: Sai Sudharsan

Ahead of the Tests against England, Sai Sudharsan tells TOI that more than averages & personal goals, for him it's about 'improving as a batter across formats' & contributing to the team's cause...It's been a crazy last few days for Sai Sudharsan. The 23-year-old left-hander was brilliant for Gujarat Titans in the IPL, but his Orange Cap-winning effort as the highest run-getter was not enough to take his franchise to the final. There was no time to brood as Sai had to prepare for the biggest assignment of his career so far — the England Test tour. The form he has been in, it's almost a certainty that he'll be part of a newlook playing XI.

Excerpts from an exclusive interview...Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!You're going to England on the back of a stupendously successful IPL. What has been the secret of your success?It's about trying to be consistent every day. It's not about the results, not about how the season went. Everyday I have to be consistent enough so that I can replicate the performances. I played a couple of seasons of IPL before and having the experience of doing it on this stage helped me.

Your batting has an element of classical beauty. Yet, you also have the ability to score at a fantastic strike rate. How can you be so easy on the eye yet be so destructive?My only aim is to bat according to the merit of the ball. I try not to predetermine and ensure that I don't miss out on too many deliveries. I look to manage the good balls delivered by the bowlers so that I don't get stuck.

Scoring runs off good balls is one of your best traits...I'm not exactly sure, I just keep trying. If runs come off good balls, there is never a desperate situation where I have to play extravagant shots to come out of jail.You have had a brilliant partnership with Shubman Gill in GT. Now he is your India Test captain...I've had a lot of partnerships with him in the past three, four years. It's been fantastic. Playing with him, I've learnt a lot on the tactical front and his ability to stay calm and relaxed.

I've learnt a lot in terms of mindset and always look up to him and try to have a lot of conversations. I'm enjoying the chemistry that we have. It works even better because we are kind of similar batters who run really hard, who make use of the good balls really well and play orthodox cricket.

Both of us try to be consistent and replicate what we are doing as many times as possible.What are the areas of your game which have improved after interacting so closely with Gill?The biggest thing is the mindset, self belief and the trust that he has in his ability.

I've seen how he manages himself when he's not getting runs — that understanding of the game and life to maintain consistency. Then there are technical discussions as well which are also helpful.How difficult is the transition in such a short time from IPL to Tests?There are quite a few changes. T20 has its own demands. It's more of a mindset shift and awareness of what you have to focus more on. It's about working on the basics to deal with the swing and seam movement.

It's important to be patient and play long and I'll try to do that.

You've been opening in the IPL but there's a lot of talk about you being the new No. 3 in Tests, with Shubman coming in to bat at No. 4...Wherever the team tells me to play, I'll be ready. There's nothing more special than playing for the country. I've always played in the top order for my state, but it's absolutely the team's call. I'm happy just to play for India.What are your personal targets from the England series? Your first-class average is below 40, does that bother you?I don't look at my averages. It's not about personal goals, it's about things that you can do for the team so that we can win. For me, winning means more than statistics and milestones. The idea is to improve as a batter in all formats. I have not won much in red-ball cricket barring some Ranji games. Winning Ranji Trophy matches have been special because it happens over a longer period.

You know you have sustained your hard work for a longer period of time and getting the reward for that is beautiful.You've also played county cricket for Surrey. Will that help in England?I've been there. I've played six or seven games and know what to expect, so it'll definitely make a big difference. When I practised the last few days, I looked back at my journal and checked the notes that I had taken during my county stint.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are retired and you're projected as a 'generational talent'. Is this tag an extra burden?(Laughs) Well, I haven't heard of it anywhere. I'm not looking at it in that way, I am just trying to be myself and be prepared for whatever situation or challenge that comes in front. Of course, these are very big shoes to fill, but I am just looking to give my best, work as hard as possible, win the series and create lovely memories for my country.Did you get a chance to talk to Virat Kohli during the IPL or after the final and did you take some tips?I just congratulated him after the final, it was a very special moment for him. But I've had a lot of conversations in previous years. What I've always admired about him is his mindset — the obsession that he has for the sport. I have spoken with him regarding those and how dealt with situations when he was not getting a lot of runs and finding it difficult.

I think, as a cricketer, those are the times that you learn most, so I had conversations about that.Indian batting is going through a transition phase and you are one of the leading faces. The England bowling unit, too, is going through a transition...I can't say about England, but from the Indian team's point of view, it's a phase of transition. There are quite a few new faces in our team. I think it's an opportunity for us to showcase our talent and give our best.

The important thing is to learn so that we improve from that and keep playing this sport at our best for a long time. I don't treat it as pressure. I think of it as a beautiful opportunity to give my best.Who are your idols?When I was younger, I looked up to Washington Sundar. He was the biggest player I knew at that stage and tried to follow his footsteps. During lockdown, I used to watch a lot of Virat Kohli's batting and listened to his interviews.

Then when I started playing for India, I started watching Justin Langer and Mike Hussey and learned as much as I could. But to start with, I think it's my dad (Bhardwaj), who was also an international sprinter, who was my hero.

I got my inspiration and hunger to succeed from him. n

Do you maintain your own journal?Yes, I love writing a lot. I write a lot of things specifically about cricket — more about batting, about game awareness, about things that I have learnt and where I can get better.

When I was young, my parents, who are also athletes, taught me this habit of writing. They told me to jot things down, the little details in practice, the things that I've learnt. These are more like reflections of the practice session or the games, and when I developed this habit, I loved doing it.You are obsessed with your fitness...My fitness obsession changed almost everything in my career. I was a bit fat when I was young but I realized that it's very difficult to excel and express your skill sets if you're not in the right shape.

At that point, I started working on fitness that much more.Was there a tipping point in your career when you decided to go hard on your fitness?Yes, definitely. When I was playing U-19s, I got dropped from the Tamil Nadu team. That snub was a big turning point because it hit me really hard. It was a big moment for me and I realised that a lot of things have to change. I changed my food habits, I changed my training, I changed the way I trained. Having made those changes, I went on to play for India A that year.