India head coach Gautam Gambhir has thrown his support behind B Sai Sudharsan, insisting the talented left-hander deserves a longer run in the Test side as India prepare for their one-off Test against Afghanistan in Mullanpur. Nearly a year after making his Test debut, Sai Sudharsan is still searching for consistency at the international level. The 23-year-old has featured in three Test series so far but has often found himself in and out of the playing XI.

Despite being identified as India’s long-term No. 3 batter, he is yet to firmly establish his place in the side. In 11 Test innings, Sudharsan has scored 302 runs at an average of 27.45, including two half-centuries and a highest score of 87.

While those numbers have not fully reflected his potential, the upcoming Test against Afghanistan presents another valuable opportunity for the youngster to strengthen his case ahead of a busy red-ball season. Speaking on the eve of the match, Gambhir made it clear that the team management remains committed to backing Sudharsan at No. 3 and believes he has not received enough opportunities to showcase his abilities.

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“Sai Sudharsan has not got a fair chance. He played mostly in England, and I believe he needs to get a fair chance,” Gautam Gambhir said. “We can only pick 11 players, and Sai isn’t in bad form. He scored 700 runs in the IPL. If we judge Sai on the basis of four or five games, we will never be able to build something,” he added.

India’s coaching staff view the Afghanistan Test as an important step in assessing players ahead of future assignments, particularly the two-match Test series in Sri Lanka scheduled for August.

Gambhir also revealed that the match could help determine India’s spin-bowling combination for the Sri Lanka tour. The selectors have handed maiden Test call-ups to promising spinners Manav Suthar and Harsh Dubey, who will compete alongside established names such as Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar.

“Manav and Harsh are to a certain extent similar but different as well in terms of release points. This match gives us a chance to determine our fourth spinner because we will take four spinners to Sri Lanka,” Gautam Gambhir explained.

The India coach further emphasized the importance of long-term Test planning, noting that conditions in future overseas tours will require a different approach.

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“We will need to prepare differently when we go to New Zealand. So, we will pull out a few ODI regulars who play Tests. We understand we need to prepare better for Tests,” Gautam Gambhir said. With the spotlight once again on Sai Sudharsan, the Afghanistan Test could prove crucial in shaping both his future and India’s plans for the next phase of their Test journey.