Sai Sudharsan's Test Debut Turns Sour with a Duck Against England

Sudharsan's Selection Sparks Excitement
The inclusion of Sai Sudharsan in the Indian squad for the England tour has thrilled fans, especially after his standout performances in IPL 2025. Despite a less-than-stellar domestic record, with a first-class average under 40, the team management chose to back Sudharsan, largely due to his impressive IPL showing.
A Dream Debut Turns Nightmarish
On the first day of the Test match between India and England at Headingley, Sudharsan was presented with his Test cap by the legendary Cheteshwar Pujara. He was sent in to bat at number three following KL Rahul's dismissal for 42 runs. Unfortunately, Sudharsan's debut quickly soured. He faced a delivery from Ben Stokes that was aimed down the leg side. Attempting to glance it away, he mis-timed the shot, resulting in a catch to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, leaving Sudharsan out for a disappointing four-ball duck.
Joining an Unwanted Club
This unfortunate dismissal placed Sudharsan among a select group of Indian players who have been dismissed for a duck in their first Test match. Below is a list of Indian cricketers who faced a similar fate, getting out for zero runs within their first six balls:
List of Indian Players Dismissed for a Duck on Debut
Players | Ball Faced |
Ravichandran Ashwin | 6 |
Hanuma Vihari | 6 |
Rahul Sanghvi | 6 |
Sai Sudharsan | 4 |
Vijay Bharadwaj | 4 |
Sairaj Bahutule | 3 |
Jamshed Irani | 3 |
CR Rangachari | 3 |
Maninder Singh | 3 |
Vivek Razdan | 3 |
Wriddhiman Saha | 3 |
Harbhajan Singh | 2 |
Praveen Kumar | 2 |
Khanderao Rangnekar | 2 |
Robin Singh | 2 |
Jasprit Bumrah | 1 |
Manohar Hardikar | 1 |
Gogumal Kishenchand Harisinghani | 1 |
Bharath Reddy | 1 |
Umesh Yadav | 1 |
Impact of Sudharsan's Dismissal
At one stage, India appeared to be in a commanding position at 91 without loss, with KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal scoring freely. However, the situation changed rapidly. After Rahul's dismissal, Sudharsan followed suit just an over later, leaving India at 92 for 2. This shift in momentum invigorated the England side, who were eager to capitalize on their newfound advantage as they headed into the lunch break.