Washington has been my inspiration since I was young: Sudharsan

In the lead-up to the opening Test against England starting June 20 in Leeds, left-handed batter B Sai Sudharsan reflected on the impact of his Tamil Nadu teammate Washington Sundar on his cricketing journey. This marks the first time both players are touring England together as part of the Indian Test squad.

Speaking in a video posted on bcci.tv on Monday, Sudharsan shared how Sundar has long been a source of inspiration for him.

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“He has been my inspiration since I was young. I have played a few games against him, so it is always special. To be honest, we have looked up to him a lot. I have practised once or twice (against Sundar), the way he went up and played for the country, it was really quick, so I had that in my mind.”

“After a few years of playing well in the IPL, and then he played for the country. So it was a great motivator for me from Chennai. Knowing him since I was young, playing with him, it is kind of an inspiration. It made me feel like I want to do things the same way. So he’s been my inspiration since I was young,” Sudharsan said.

Sudarshan heads into the Test series in red-hot form, having clinched the Orange Cap in IPL 2025. He has also represented India in three ODIs and a T20I and has made significant strides in first-class cricket. His stint with Surrey in the County Championship added to his credentials, scoring 281 runs across two seasons as Surrey clinched back-to-back titles.

Meanwhile, Sundar, who debuted for India in 2017, re-entered the Test fold in last year’s home series against New Zealand and has since been a regular part of the red-ball setup. Speaking about Sudharsan’s rise, Sundar shared his admiration for the young batter.

“Every time I have watched him on TV, there is a lot to take away from him, his skillset and work ethic he has got. A lot of my friends and coaches in Chennai have constantly spoken about his growth in his cricketing career. He’s grown a lot, especially in the last three to four years, and he’s managed to get better every year. He has inspired a lot of kids, especially in Chennai, and I hope he will continue inspiring kids all over the world. I am very happy for him,” Sundar said.

India’s five-Test series in England, which marks the beginning of their 2025–27 World Test Championship campaign, will be played at Headingley, Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford and The Oval. Led by Shubman Gill, the side is eyeing a historic Test series win in England, something they haven’t achieved since 2007.