Sai Sudharsan, Indrajith keen to make the most of maiden IPL stint

The Indian Premier League is the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ that every white-ball specialist in the country craves to make it to.

But in a factory-like India where cricketing talent is manufactured in abundance, only a few hundred per year get to experience the grandeur of the IPL. 

Since most Indian internationals secure bumper contracts and overseas imports fill their quota more often than not, the uncapped domestic players compete in a rat race to crack the code.

The artists – local players in this case – are expected to pull off extraordinary acts in order to be a part of the IPL extravaganza. Two such cricketers who attracted the eagle-eyed scouts and earned maiden deals at the mega auction in Bengaluru last week are B Sai Sudharsan and Baba Indrajith (both from Tamil Nadu).

While up-and-coming top-order batter Sai Sudharsan was acquired by newcomer Gujarat Titans for his reserve price of Rs 20 lakh, wicketkeeper-batsman Indrajith was snapped up by Kolkata Knight Riders for the same amount. When DT Next caught up with the IPL first-timers via telephone recently, the Tamil Nadu duo was filled with joy.

“The IPL is a big stage. Every young cricketer [in this nation] dreams of playing for India and in the IPL. I am extremely happy to have taken a step forward in my career,” expressed Sai Sudharsan. On his part, Indrajith said: “I have been picked for the first time. I am excited to learn a lot from the KKR support staff.”

Southpaw Sai Sudharsan burst onto the scene in the Tamil Nadu Premier League 2021 in Chennai, a tournament which he set ablaze with his nonchalant batting for Lyca Kovai Kings. With 358 runs in eight matches at a healthy strike-rate of 143.8, the 20-year-old finished second in the TNPL Season 5 ‘Top Scorers’ chart.

A member of the Tamil Nadu senior squad across formats now, Sai Sudharsan has been truly impressive so much so that he was invited for selection by as many as six IPL franchises.

“Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals called me for trials. Royal Challengers and Knight Riders, too, called me for selection, but the trials got cancelled. I could not attend Rajasthan Royals’ selection as I was with the Tamil Nadu team for the Vijay Hazare Trophy (in December 2021),” revealed Sai Sudharsan.

As for Indrajith, he honed his skills last year and doubled up as a gloveman for Nellai Royal Kings in the fifth TNPL edition. “It has been a long time since I played T20 cricket for Tamil Nadu. Ahead of the TNPL [last year], I travelled to Bengaluru to work with RX Muralidhar sir on my white-ball game,” said Indrajith. “In the opportunities that I got in the TNPL, I was able to do well (he scored 123 runs in five innings at an average of 61.5). Right after the Vijay Hazare final, I attended the KKR trials, where I batted well. Only because of the work I put in was I able to perform well in Vijay Hazare and the KKR selection. At the trials, I told the staff that I could keep wickets.”

Both Sai Sudharsan and Indrajith are eager to pick the brains of the best in the business.

“I feel that I will get great exposure [during my time at Titans]. Gary Kirsten sir (Gujarat team mentor and batting coach) is one of the best coaches in the history [of cricket]. I will work with a World Cup-winning coach, so I feel privileged,” Sai Sudharsan went on to add.

“Everyone has only good things to say about KKR. It has an outstanding management [group]. There is a lot to learn,” signed off Indrajith.