India’s coach vents frustration: Sudharsan’s duck stalls momentum at Headingley

India’s Test debutant Sai Sudharsan’s duck at Headingley stalled the team’s promising start against England, drawing visible frustration from the Indian head coach.

Sudharsan, batting at No. 3, faced four balls but was dismissed without scoring just before lunch on Day 1. This made him the first Indian in 15 years to register a duck on Test debut, a record last held by a player against South Africa in Nagpur.

India had started brightly at 91 without loss, but the quick dismissals of KL Rahul (42) and Sudharsan in successive overs reduced the team to 92/2 at lunch, dampening momentum.

"India gave away the opportunity to really dent England's confidence," the coach’s frustration was evident as England’s captain Ben Stokes claimed Sudharsan’s wicket on the last ball before lunch.

Sudharsan’s rapid rise to the Test arena was notable; the 21-year-old left-hander from Tamil Nadu joined an elite group of Indian greats who debuted on the same date, including Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, and Virat Kohli. He earned his cap from Cheteshwar Pujara, a long-standing No. 3 batsman for India.

Despite the setback, Sudharsan’s inclusion followed his prolific run-scoring in the 2025 Indian Premier League for the Gujarat Titans, highlighting his potential for future contributions.

Ben Stokes had earlier remarked, "Headingley is generally a very good cricket wicket. Hopefully, we can look to use the early conditions, and try to get a bit out of it, setting the tone for a challenging contest.

India’s coach and fans will hope Sudharsan can overcome this initial disappointment and build on his promising start to international cricket.

India’s coach expressed frustration after Sai Sudharsan was dismissed for a duck on his Test debut at Headingley, stalling India’s momentum. Sudharsan, batting at No. 3, became the first Indian in 15 years to register a duck on debut, as India slipped to 92/2 at lunch against England.