'Rinku Singh, Jaiswal sudhar jao, Sudharsan will snatch your spot': Ex-PAK batter says ‘good that Rohit, Kohli retired’
The former Pakistan batter then cautioned Rinku Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag who have not been able to score consistently in the 18th season of IPL.
Rising cricketers Sai Sudharsan and Priyansh Arya will snatch the places of Yashavi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh and Riyan Parag in the Indian side if they don't buck up and start scoring consistently in the IPL, said former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali. Arya was the star of the show for Punjab Kings, smashing the second-fastest IPL century by an Indian off 39 balls to down CSK. Sudharsan, on the other hand, has been one of the top batters of this IPL with three half-centuries in five matches. He is currently No.2 on the Orange Cap list with 273 runs at a strike rate of 151.
Sudharshan was declared Player of the Match for his 82 off 53 balls against Rajasthan Royals, helped GT register an easy win and move to the top of the table. Calling Sudharsan a "top-class player", Basit said the left-hander is a really good exponent of the cut and pull.
"It was a top-class knock from Sai Sudharsan. I saw a spark in his eyes when he was giving an interview after his knock. He spoke about facing Jofra Archer. It appears that he thinks about his game. WV Raman correctly said that he is a good player of pull and cut shots. He is one for the long haul," Basit said on his YouTube channel.
The former Pakistan batter then cautioned Rinku Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag, who have not been able to score consistently in the 18th season of IPL.
"Rinku Singh sudhar jao, Jaiswal miyan sudhar jao, Parag sahab sudhar jao. These kids won't allow to slack. Whether it's Arya or Sai Sudharsan. They are just looking for little opening. The moment they get that, they will barge into the Indian side. Mark my words.
"I thought he (Sudharsan) was 27 or 28, but I found out that he is just 23. He has cricket written all over his face and eyes. He loves cricket and will be among the top cricketers," he added.
Basit went on to add that India greats Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma did the right thing by retiring from the T20Is after India's title-winning run in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
"Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma did the right thing by retiring. I thought that Kohli could have continued but after watching these kids, I've realised that India have a lot of players."
Basit sent a bold message to out-of-form Jaiswal, asking him to bring his focus back to cricket and avoid a fate similar to Prithvi Shaw, who was at one point considered a young sensation bound to be a blockbuster hit in international cricket for India.
Jaiswal has lost his mojo since returning from Australia after a heartbreaking 3-1 series defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Apart from notching up 67 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Jaiswal's bat has resorted to silence. The 23-year-old, who was Rajasthan Royals' knight in shining armour, is now in a position to live up to his reputation as games come thick and fast in the action-packed, cash-rich league.
"His stomach has filled. Jaiswal isn't focusing on cricket. This is my open message: Cricket can make you cry a lot. Look at Prithvi Shaw. Love cricket and bring passion," Basit said.
