Gambhir Confirms Sai Sudharsan at No. 3 for India’s Afghanistan Test

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has made a big call ahead of the one-off Test against Afghanistan in Mullanpur. He confirmed on Friday that young batter Sai Sudharsan will bat at the crucial No. 3 position in Saturday’s match.

The 24-year-old left-hander has played just six Tests so far and scored 302 runs at an average of 27.45. But Gambhir is ready to give him a fair and long run in the role.

The No. 3 spot has been a bit of a puzzle for India since Cheteshwar Pujara retired in 2025. The team has tried a few batters like Devdutt Padikkal, but no one has really made it their own. India’s batting also struggled in the recent 2-0 home loss to South Africa.

Gambhir made it clear that he wants to build a team for the long run, not make quick judgments after one or two bad performances.

The rest of the top order is also set. Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul will open the innings. Captain Shubman Gill will bat at No. 4. And Rishabh Pant will play his 50th Test match at No. 5, which is a big personal milestone.

The team is looking to gain important World Test Championship points on a pitch that is expected to help fast bowlers early on.

                                               

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