I was looking forward to a lot more, says Sai Sudharsan after missing ton against West Indies
New Delhi (PTI): India No. 3 Sai Sudharsan on Friday admitted he was eyeing a big score against the West Indies after falling short of what would have been his maiden century in Test cricket during the first day's play in the second match here.
Sudharsan, who was under some pressure after missing out in the first Test in Ahmedabad where India routed the West Indies by an innings and 140 runs, struck a fine 87 for his highest knock in the format.
Having made his Test debut during England tour, Sudharsan had scored 61 in the first innings of the Manchester Test for his maiden fifty and remains in hunt of a maiden triple figure score.
"I am definitely grateful for whatever I've done today but there's always a monkey in our mind that wants more, wants that hundred and so I was looking forward to a lot more," Sudharsan, who made 87 off 165 balls with 12 fours, told the broadcaster after the match.
In the company of opener Yashasvi Jaiswal who struck an unbeaten 173, Sudharsan put the West Indies attack to the sword with a robust 193-run stand for the second wicket.
He said he was looking to bat freely in this innings.
"It was a good contribution and very good partnership with (Yashasvi) Jaiswal. I was not thinking about getting runs, I was a bit more free and I expressed a bit better in this innings," Sudharsan said.
"I was able to take a bit more time and let things happen instead of trying to make things happen."
"It's fascinating and so thrilling to watch him from the other end. He plays a lot of exciting shots. He converts a lot of good balls into boundaries, so it's really good to watch. He's giving me more awareness of what kind of shots to be played," he said.
Sudharsan said he is trying to be judicious with his shot selection.
"There's no competing there, but I am learning a lot more and being more aware of what shots to play if I want to convert good balls into runs," he said.
The 23-year-old Sudharsan's innings was cut short when a delivery from Jomel Warrican turned in sharply from outside off and hit his back leg in front of the wickets.
The dismissal was somewhat similar to how he fell in the Ahmedabad Test, being hit on the back foot by a delivery from Roston Chase that skidded off the surface and beat his defence.
Sudharsan said the pitch here at the Arun Jaitley Stadium was keeping low and there was some turn from the surface already.
"I feel it's staying a bit low and it will start to turn more from tomorrow. Even when you hit the ball, it's not flying off your bat. Hopefully off the rough it will start turning," he said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Rahul Gandhi joins Haryana Congress leader's 'Sadbhav Yatra' in Gurugram
Gurugram (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday joined the 'Sadbhav Yatra' of Haryana Congress leader Brijendra Singh here.
Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, reached Gurugram in the evening and joined the yatra. He also walked some distance with Brijendra, state Congress chief Rao Narender Singh and other leaders.
Huge crowds had turned up for the occasion.
Later, Gandhi proceeded to the venue where he addressed a public gathering.
Leader of Opposition in Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda and other Congress leaders, including Randeep Singh Surjewala, B K Hariprasad, state Congress chief Rao Narender Singh, were also present.
Brijendra Singh had on Thursday said it is a matter of joy for them that Gandhi was joining the 'Sadbhav Yatra' in Gurugram-Badshahpur, "thereby strengthening the Indian National Congress' campaign for brotherhood and harmony".
The 'Sadbhav Yatra' began from Danoda village at Narwana in Jind on October 5, 2025, and has covered 85 of the 90 assembly segments in the state.
The foot march was started by Brijendra Singh, son of Congress veteran Birender Singh, to highlight several national and regional issues.
State Congress chief Rao Narender Singh had asked all party leaders to take part in Friday's event.
Days before his yatra began in October, Brijendra Singh, who narrowly lost the 2024 assembly polls from Jind's Uchana Kalan, accused the ruling BJP of playing "divisive politics" and said that "sadbhav" (harmony) has come under stress in the last decade.
Brijendra Singh was a sitting MP from Hisar for the BJP when he resigned ahead of the 2024 general election and switched over to the Congress. He also alleged that the saffron party creates a wedge in society to achieve its political purpose.
The 'padyatra' has so far covered 85 assembly constituencies in Haryana, traversing more than 2,700 kilometres.
Addressing the public gathering, Brijendra Singh said the yatra is inspired by Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, where he took the party's vision and values directly to the people of the country.
Singh said the yatra has highlighted issues like "Vote Chori" (vote theft), unemployment, poor law and order situation, agrarian distress, and issues related to government employees, labourers and traders.
"Sadbhav (harmony) and bhaichara (brotherhood), which the BJP is attempting to weaken, are the messages of this yatra," he said, adding that its slogan is "Congress ka haath bhaichara ka saath".
"This yatra is a natural extension of the Bharat Jodo Yatra," Brijendra Singh said.
