The already stacked Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) will see another IPL name add up after Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) has included Sai Sudharsan in the squad. Led by Varun Chakaravarthy, Tamil Nadu endured a six-wicket loss to Rajasthan in the SMAT opener on November 26, Wednesday.
Sai Sudharsan comes at right time
Sudharsan wasn’t selected initially and it surprised many. With India not playing any Test cricket for months now, it was quite bewildering why Sudharsan wasn’t selected in the first place. After all, he ended up as the highest run-getter in IPL 2025, smashing 759 runs at a strike rate of 145.89, a tally that also includes two centuries.
While he doesn’t play T20 internationals for India, he is in the Test side that has been in a decline. Just today, Sudharsan was part of the humiliating defeat to South Africa in Guwahati that saw India get whitewashed for the second time under Gautam Gambhir.
Yes, Sudharsan’s spot has been chopped and changed but with an average of 27.4 after playing 11 Test innings, the southpaw hasn’t helped himself. However, he will do well in the T20s for Tamil Nadu, who need him. TN lost their opening game to Rajasthan and haven’t been great in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. For Tamil Nadu, Sudharsan has managed 478 runs at an average of almost 30 in 19 T20 matches.
Updated SMAT squad for Tamil Nadu
Varun Chakravarthy (capt), Narayan Jagadeesan (vice-capt, wk), Tushar Raheja (wk), VP Amit Sathvik, M Shahrukh Khan, Andre Siddarth, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Shivam Singh, R Sai Kishore, M Siddharth, T Natarajan, Gurjapneet Singh, A Esakkimuthu, R Sonu Yadav, R Silambarasan, S Rithik Easwaran (wk), Sai Sudharsan
