In-form Sai Sudharsan will draw on county cricket experience as he switches from the IPL to the five-day game for his first Test tour with India when they travel to England.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The left-handed opener made a valiant 80 on Friday as Gujarat Titans went down to Mumbai Indians and were knocked out of the IPL.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The 23-year-old was key to Gujarat's journey to the playoffs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He is the leading batsman in the league with 759 runs, including one century and six half-centuries, at an average of 54.21.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Gujarat's exit will give him extra time before he heads to England for a five-Test series beginning at Headingley on June 20.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Sudharsan, part of an 18-man India squad led by new captain Shubman Gill -- his Gujarat skipper and fellow opener -- had stints with English county Surrey last year and in 2023.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"It gave me a great experience," he told reporters after Gujarat's 20-run defeat at Mullanpur.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"It improved my batting multiple folds in terms of technique and in terms of basics."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Sudharsan has dominated bowlers in the IPL but admits adapting to the longer format in England will require a new "mindset and decision-making".<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"After a long three months of white-ball tournament, certain things would have changed in your batting," he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I think focusing more on basics and bringing back those to red-ball cricket will take some time."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Chennai-born Sudharsan, who plays domestic cricket for the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, played three ODIs for India in 2023 and one T20 international last year.<\/p>\r\n\r\n