IPL 2026: Sai Sudharsan credits GT culture for success, eyes bigger role this season
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New Delhi, March 27 : Gujarat Titans opener B Sai Sudharsan, who finished as the leading run-scorer of 2025 IPL, says stepping into a new identity and embracing responsibility was his biggest takeaway from a breakout campaign, adding that the franchise’s culture has also played a huge hand in his success in the ten-team competition.
In IPL 2025, left-handed Sudharsan amassed 759 runs at an average of 54.2 and strike-rate of 156.17, which marked his best-ever season in four years of playing in the tournament. Cut to now, and Sudharsan is gearing up for the upcoming season after playing six Tests for India and recovering from a right seventh rib fracture injury sustained during the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
“I feel the biggest learning from that is just getting into a new identity and taking that responsibility. I feel that is the biggest learning I have taken from that season. Yes, it is with the efforts and hard work of what we have prepared for the last year - that was the result of all of that.
“But again, if we have to make our team win or give our best for the team, there's still a lot of work to be done and it will be done very well this year,” Sudharsan told IANS in an exclusive conversation on Friday, ahead of GT starting their IPL 2026 campaign against Punjab Kings in New Chandigarh on March 31.
When pressed on a specific moment that marked a turning point in his wonderful time with the bat last year, Sudharsan pointed to his unbeaten 108 against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, where he and Shubman Gill, who was not out on 93, chased down 200 without losing any wicket.
“As GT or at the top, me and Shubman, we were always looking at taking the game deep, playing the game deep and winning the games for the team. The biggest threshold was I think the DC game (in New Delhi) where we both finished the game by not even losing one wicket. So, that was the biggest threshold for us and it made us believe in ourselves more. I think that was the biggest turning point.”
Sudharsan also spoke warmly about what he has absorbed from batting alongside Gill over the past four seasons. “It's actually a very good question. I have learnt a lot from Shubman to be honest. These four years, I have had quite a lot of partnerships and conversations as well of how we can improve and how we can look into the situations. I think I have worked on those things and I am looking forward for more of that.”
On the environment at GT, which is widely regarded for being relaxed and nurturing young talent, Sudharsan stated the freedom to express himself has been the single most important factor in his development.
“I think that has shaped my career for now because as a young kid coming into the team, there will be a lot of doubts, questions or things going in your mind. I think the environment here has helped me to express myself rather than resist myself to not do this or not do that.
“Rather, it was more about, ‘oh, I like doing this and I would love to do this year.’ There was space and platform for that. From a mental point of view, I think it gave me so much freedom to express myself. Because of that, I was able to have conversations and be more natural and that, I think, has evolved over time.”
Sudharsan, known for mixing elegant and unorthodox strokeplay and ability to clear the ropes with immaculate ease, said the foundation of his much-improved power-hitting skills lay in getting the basics right.
“I think I focus a lot on basics – a lot of very simple stuff which can be replicated against each and every ball. So, my biggest pointers like that is to time or to hold my position more, which eventually helps me both in white ball and red ball cricket, and especially in white ball games, where I can generate more power when I'm batting.”
He further explained that sharper decision-making, rather than a wholesale overhaul of his game, has brought him in line with the ever-evolving demands of the shortest format. “Actually, I don't think so much that sport has evolved or so much that. But probably, I can answer it this way - yes, the sport has evolved for sure.
“But I think my decision-making has improved and I feel the options which I am looking to score off bowlers have improved because I am not specifically focused on working on my power hitting game. Rather than that, I am trying to refine my timing better so that it can catch up with the game and the requirements for what it (a situation) needs when inside the field.”
Sudharsan signed off by touching on his early interactions with Australian batting great Matthew Hayden, who has joined GT as batting coach for this season. “I think there's a lot of conversations around how you can see a battle. Like, the mental aspects of that battle and how you can have an edge over the bowler or over the opponent.
“We have not had a lot of conversations yet, but there were a few conversations where it was very interesting and I would love to use that. Obviously, as you said, he is one of the legends of Australia - so I would love to also pick his mind for the Tests as well.”
In IPL 2025, left-handed Sudharsan amassed 759 runs at an average of 54.2 and strike-rate of 156.17, which marked his best-ever season in four years of playing in the tournament. Cut to now, and Sudharsan is gearing up for the upcoming season after playing six Tests for India and recovering from a right seventh rib fracture injury sustained during the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
“I feel the biggest learning from that is just getting into a new identity and taking that responsibility. I feel that is the biggest learning I have taken from that season. Yes, it is with the efforts and hard work of what we have prepared for the last year - that was the result of all of that.
“But again, if we have to make our team win or give our best for the team, there's still a lot of work to be done and it will be done very well this year,” Sudharsan told IANS in an exclusive conversation on Friday, ahead of GT starting their IPL 2026 campaign against Punjab Kings in New Chandigarh on March 31.
When pressed on a specific moment that marked a turning point in his wonderful time with the bat last year, Sudharsan pointed to his unbeaten 108 against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, where he and Shubman Gill, who was not out on 93, chased down 200 without losing any wicket.
“As GT or at the top, me and Shubman, we were always looking at taking the game deep, playing the game deep and winning the games for the team. The biggest threshold was I think the DC game (in New Delhi) where we both finished the game by not even losing one wicket. So, that was the biggest threshold for us and it made us believe in ourselves more. I think that was the biggest turning point.”
Sudharsan also spoke warmly about what he has absorbed from batting alongside Gill over the past four seasons. “It's actually a very good question. I have learnt a lot from Shubman to be honest. These four years, I have had quite a lot of partnerships and conversations as well of how we can improve and how we can look into the situations. I think I have worked on those things and I am looking forward for more of that.”
On the environment at GT, which is widely regarded for being relaxed and nurturing young talent, Sudharsan stated the freedom to express himself has been the single most important factor in his development.
“I think that has shaped my career for now because as a young kid coming into the team, there will be a lot of doubts, questions or things going in your mind. I think the environment here has helped me to express myself rather than resist myself to not do this or not do that.
“Rather, it was more about, ‘oh, I like doing this and I would love to do this year.’ There was space and platform for that. From a mental point of view, I think it gave me so much freedom to express myself. Because of that, I was able to have conversations and be more natural and that, I think, has evolved over time.”
Sudharsan, known for mixing elegant and unorthodox strokeplay and ability to clear the ropes with immaculate ease, said the foundation of his much-improved power-hitting skills lay in getting the basics right.
“I think I focus a lot on basics – a lot of very simple stuff which can be replicated against each and every ball. So, my biggest pointers like that is to time or to hold my position more, which eventually helps me both in white ball and red ball cricket, and especially in white ball games, where I can generate more power when I'm batting.”
He further explained that sharper decision-making, rather than a wholesale overhaul of his game, has brought him in line with the ever-evolving demands of the shortest format. “Actually, I don't think so much that sport has evolved or so much that. But probably, I can answer it this way - yes, the sport has evolved for sure.
“But I think my decision-making has improved and I feel the options which I am looking to score off bowlers have improved because I am not specifically focused on working on my power hitting game. Rather than that, I am trying to refine my timing better so that it can catch up with the game and the requirements for what it (a situation) needs when inside the field.”
Sudharsan signed off by touching on his early interactions with Australian batting great Matthew Hayden, who has joined GT as batting coach for this season. “I think there's a lot of conversations around how you can see a battle. Like, the mental aspects of that battle and how you can have an edge over the bowler or over the opponent.
“We have not had a lot of conversations yet, but there were a few conversations where it was very interesting and I would love to use that. Obviously, as you said, he is one of the legends of Australia - so I would love to also pick his mind for the Tests as well.”
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