Washington Sundar has been an inspiration to me: Sai Sudharsan

Sai Sudharsan, who has received his maiden call-up to India's red-ball side for the five-match Test series against England, explained how his teammate Washington Sundar's performances on the big stage have given him added motivation.

Sudharsan could be batting at No. 3 for the Asian giants during the upcoming series, which begins on Friday, June 20. Meanwhile, Sundar will have to battle it out for a spot in the playing XI, with Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav also in the mix as spinners.

In a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Sundar and Sudharsan are seen explaining their relationship over the years. The ace batter said Sundar has been his ‘inspiration’, although there is less than a two-year age difference between them.

In response, Sundar gave him his blessings, which got the batter laughing. After Sundar’s interview, Sudharsan is also seen teasing him about his accent in Tamil. ‘Can you tell me what accent is that?’ Sudharsan asks. It made Sundar visibly embarrassed, and the spin-bowling all-rounder replied with, ‘Stop it, let’s go.’

“He (Sundar) has been my inspiration. I’ve played a few games against him, so it’s always special. I had practiced with him once or twice, and the way he went up and the way he played for the country, it was really quick. So I had that in my mind. It was great to see him. A few years of IPL, he did well, then he played for the country. So it was a great motivator for me. From Chennai, knowing him from a young age, playing with him, and it’s kind of an inspiration which made me feel that I also want to do the same way. So he’s been my inspiration," he said in the video on bcci.tv.

Sundar has seen Sudharsan develop as a cricketer from close quarters, as they play for the same Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, the Gujarat Titans, where the opener won the Orange Cap for the first time this year, finishing ahead of experienced cricketers like Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, and Virat Kohli, among many others.

“He’s told me about that quite a few times, and a lot of my friends and my coaches as well have constantly spoken about his growth with his cricketing career. He has always grown, especially in the last 3-4 years, and he’s only managed to get better every year. In that case, I think every time I’ve I’ve watched him on TV, there was a lot to take away from him and from his skill sets and the kind of work ethic that he’s got, has definitely inspired a lot of kids, especially in Chennai, and I’m sure he’s going to continue to inspire so many more around the world. Very happy for him," Sundar said of him.

The 23-year-old Sudharsan has played three ODIs and a solitary T20I so far for India. Meanwhile, Sundar, 25, has featured in nine Tests, 23 ODIs, and 54 T20Is for the Men in Blue. The Tamil Nadu duo is expected to play a crucial role in the upcoming five-match series.