He didn't take the field on Day 3.
Sai Sudharsan has not taken the field on Day 3 of the second Test between India and the West Indies. He sustained an injury during a freak catch yesterday while standing at short leg and was in severe pain since the ball hit him hard.
The team physio came to treat him immediately, but he had to leave the ground after the initial inspection to get the right treatment. The BCCI has shared an update on his fitness, revealing he suffered an impact injury but has been doing fine.
“Sai Sudharsan had an impact injury on Day 2 while attempting a catch. He has not taken the field today as a precautionary measure. The injury is not serious, and he is doing fine. He continues to be monitored by the BCCI Medical Team.”
This is a positive update on the batter, who has been looking to seal his spot in the side. However, this also confirms that he will remain on the sidelines for the remainder of this innings, with India continuing with a substitute fielder, currently Devdutt Padikkal, as they look to bundle West Indies as early as possible and enforce follow-on.
Sai Sudharsan has not taken the field as a fielder to avoid getting more injuries, but he will likely bat in the second innings if the situation arises. He looked in nice touch in the first innings, scoring a controlled 87 to get some breathing space after a few low scores in previous outings.
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However, the current match scenario suggests that India might not need to bat again since the West Indies are reeling after conceding a big 518/5. They have already lost eight wickets in their first attempt and trail by more than 300 runs.
India will most probably enforce a follow-on once this innings gets over, and the Caribbean side is unlikely to cover India’s first-innings score in the second attempt either unless they pull off something outrageous. So, Sudharsan can continue following the action from the dugout for the remaining game and heal his injury in the meantime.
His fielding position, mostly short leg, is a dangerous place to field on, and he can exacerbate his injury if another shot hits his body. India have the options of Devdutt Padikkal and Axar Patel, who are equally good fielders and will do the job in the remaining game.
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