I GENUINELY BELIEVE SAI SUDHARSAN IS ONE OF INDIA’S FUTURE THREE-FORMAT PLAYERS : ROBIN UTHAPPA

I GENUINELY BELIEVE SAI SUDHARSAN IS ONE OF INDIA’S FUTURE THREE-FORMAT PLAYERS, ALONGSIDE THE LIKES OF SHUBMAN GILL AND YASHASVI JAISWAL: ROBIN UTHAPPA
 
 
At the launch of the Australian Summer of Cricket 2025-26—jointly organized by JioStar, Cricket Australia, and the Australian Government—former greats from India and Australia came together to reflect on the storied rivalry between the two cricketing powerhouses. From Steve Waugh and Anil Kumble to Robin Uthappa, the legends discussed the upcoming ICC World Test Championship, India’s tour of England, the rise of Gen Bold in Indian Cricket, and how India’s T20 squad is shaping up for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup next year
 
Matthew Hayden reflected on the strength of Australia’s bowling unit ahead of the ICC World Test Championship Final clash against South Africa at Lord’s:
“We’ve still got a core group in the side, but it’s starting to shift in some ways. How long is Steve Smith going to play or Usman Khawaja going to continue? These are the characters sitting in that space — one that Stephen (Steve Waugh) and I have been in, and Virat’s been in as well. We’ve all faced that challenge where you realise maybe it’s time to move on. But for this cycle, Australia has been a very dominant team. I base that largely on the fact that you need to take 20 wickets to win a Test — and this team has a world-class pace trio, much like in Stephen’s (Steve Waugh’s) era. They also have a world-class spinner, and I’m sure we all appreciate the skill of Nathan Lyon. That’s been such a key part of how Australian teams are built.”
 
Matthew Hayden weighed in on India’s prospects for the upcoming Test series in England:
“Looking ahead, I’m really curious about what India brings to England. Five Tests — that’s a tough, character-testing series. We discussed it earlier — someone like Kuldeep Yadav could be a key 20-wicket bowler for them. We’ve had the advantage of Lyon’s consistency, and his absence in the last Ashes showed the impact of losing a reliable spinner. The best teams, through every era, have always had one thing in common — stability.”
 
Speaking on the rise of young Indian talent in TATA IPL 2025, former India batter Robin Uthappa highlighted the remarkable evolution of Gen Bold players:
"One name that immediately comes to mind is Sai Sudharsan. His evolution over the last couple of years has been phenomenal. Just last year, he was retired out in a game for not scoring quickly enough. And this year, he hasn’t changed his technique or approach — he’s just added a couple of shots, knows when to accelerate, and suddenly his strike rate has jumped from 130 to 170. Now, he’s the Orange Cap holder. That’s mighty impressive. I genuinely believe he’s one of India’s future three-format players, alongside the likes of Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal — all young guns in their own right. Then you’ve got players like Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, and so many others stepping up. This is a boiling pot of talent — and I don’t think it’s slowing down anytime soon."
 
Former India captain Anil Kumble reflected on the growing pool of young talent and the balancing act Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir will need to manage ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup next year:
"Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Vaibhav Suryavanshi — all of them will definitely be in contention for a World Cup spot. It’s about using the remaining T20s before the tournament to figure out the best 15-man squad. You already have Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Yashasvi Jaiswal — all Test players who can also thrive in T20s. Then there's Sanju Samson. So it’s going to be a challenge figuring out who makes the cut. Fitness will play a key role — you want a fully fit squad going into a World Cup, and I’m sure that’s something the selectors and management will be closely monitoring."