Gautam Gambhir opposed Sai Sudharsan's selection, Shubman Gill fought- Report

Gujarat Titans (GT) opener Sai Sudharsan received his maiden call-up to the India Test squad for England 2025. According to a report, Team India coach Gautam Gambhir had opposed the inclusion of Sai Sudharsan for the much-awaited series in away conditions.

Sai Sudharsan and Arshdeep Singh have been selected in the 18-member squad, which will be led by Shubman Gill. Karun Nair and Shardul Thakur have returned to the Indian cricket team. The selection committee, chaired by Ajit Agarkar, announced the squad during a meeting in Mumbai on Saturday.

Gautam Gambhir Opposed Sai Sudharsan’s Inclusion in Test Squad

According to a report by CricBlogger, Gautam Gambhir opposed the inclusion of Sai Sudharsan in the Test squad. However, after about 30 minutes of persuasion from newly appointed Test captain Shubman Gill, who also leads Gujarat Titans, the Tamil Nadu opener secured his place.

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"Even the selectors were shocked by Gambhir’s choice of players. None of the board officials were available for comments. Gambhir himself was a left-handed opener and opposing Sai’s name didn’t make much of a sense,” a BCCI source told CricBlogger.

Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir to Decide Sai Sudharsan’s Place in Playing XI

As India prepares for the opening Test in Leeds, all eyes will be on whether the team management will allow Sai Sudharsan to showcase his talent. Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir will finalize the batting lineup and playing XI.

The 23-year-old left-handed batsman has been a standout performer in the 2025 IPL season. He has scored 679 runs from 14 matches at an average of 52.23 and a strike rate of 155.37, including one century and five half-centuries. He has shown the ability to anchor innings and accelerate when needed.

Sai also has experience of playing in English conditions. He represented Surrey in the County Championship during the 2023 and 2024 seasons and can adapt well to different playing environments.

Sai Sudharsan Likely to Feature in Team India’s Revamped Batting Line-Up

With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring from Test cricket, Sai Sudharsan is poised to be part of India’s revamped top order. He usually opens for Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket but has experience batting in various positions, including the middle order for Surrey in county cricket.

The 23-year-old has scored 1957 runs in 29 first-class matches at an average of just under 40, including seven centuries and five fifties. His most recent century came at No. 3 for India A against Australia A in Mackay last November.

Before the England Test series begins on June 20, Sai and newly appointed Test captain Shubman Gill will play in a four-day match for India A against the England Lions, starting on June 6 in Northampton.

The England tour marks the beginning of India’s 2025–27 World Test Championship campaign. Notably, the five-match Test series will be held at Headingley, Edgbaston, Lord's, Old Trafford, and The Oval.

Also read: "Shubman Gill-Yashasvi Jaiswal to open"- India's Playing 11 vs England locked