As the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 has already concluded, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defended their title this season in a one-sided contest. Players are getting back to their form for the upcoming red-ball season. The Indian team is set to host a one-off Test match against Afghanistan, starting on June 6 at the Maharaja Singh PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh.
Ahead of the Test match, some interesting news is coming up from the Indian camp as the Indian players are preparing themselves for the task. While the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel has announced a balanced squad for the match, the number three spot in the team remains unsolved. The competition has been so tough that two or more batters are battling for one single spot. For number three, either Devdutt Padikkal or Sai Sudharsan could be given a chance in the upcoming match.
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During the practice session, both Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal were seen hitting the nets in the hard mode. The PTI journalist, Kusan Sarkar, reported on his X handle that Devdutt Padikkal has the unfair advantage for that number three spot in the team. If Padikkal picks for the number 3 role, then Sai Sudharsan’s batting position will be under the scanner. Dhruv Jurel’s chances to play the match are also uncertain, as Rishabh Pant is there as the keeper-batter.
Kusan Sarkar posted on his X handle:
“Devdutt Padikkal looks like edging Sai Sudharsan for No.3. Slip formation- Gill, Rahul, DDP, and Jurel. Once Rahul left for batting, Sai came in.”
Both Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal provide a left-arm option to the team. While Sai has been coming after a brilliant IPL campaign, Padikkal has the unfair advantage because he has been an ideal option for that spot. Padikkal has a good run of form in red-ball cricket in domestic cricket this season, scoring 543 runs in 11 innings of the Ranji Elite 2025-26. On the other hand, Sai Sudharsan’s red-ball form has been a bit concerning. The 24-year-old batter could only manage to score 29 runs in two innings against South Africa last year.
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