3 min readMar 31, 2026 08:58 PM IST
Former Gujarat captain and prolific batter Priyank Panchal suggested that Sai Sudharsan should go through an all-format domestic grind like Devdutt Padikkal to regain his form. This was after Sudharsan managed just 13 off 11 for Gujarat Titans in their opening match against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on Tuesday.
“Sai Sudharsan looked like a million bucks last season, but something has been off about him since the England tour. Maybe he needs to go through an all-format domestic grind like Devdutt Padikkal and rediscover his form,” Panchal posted on X.
In the IPL, Sudharsan’s game has largely been built on timing – finding gaps, keeping the scoreboard moving, and batting deep. It’s a method that doesn’t always grab headlines in the age of 300, but one GT continue to trust. It’s an approach that feels familiar. India’s recent T20 World Cup triumph was built not on chasing milestones but on clarity of roles – players doing what the situation demanded.
Sai Sudharsan looked like a million bucks last season, but something has been off about him since the England tour. Maybe he needs to go through an all-format domestic grind like Devdutt Padikkal and rediscover his form. #PBKSvGT #IPL2026
— Priyank Panchal (@PKpanchal09) March 31, 2026
“Yes, I don’t think it’s only about power hitting, and the way we look at it is slightly different. I think in a more traditional way, we are looking at how we can replicate things, how we can be as consistent as possible and how we can take the game deeper and make the team win. So, I think our thought process and energy is all around that. Yes, we have to learn, we have to improve from what the World Cup team has done. So, I think they have done a tremendous job. So, I think we have learned from that, and we would love to do it, and if the team requires it, we have to be versatile enough to have all the guns in our armoury,” he had said ahead of the season.
Sudharsan made his India Test team debut in the England series but hasn’t yet created much of an impact, with his highest score of 87 coming against the West Indies back in October. he has since played 2 more Tests vs South Africa in Guwahati last year and scored just 14 and 15 in both innings.
