"Virat Kohli's performance average-wise is also not that good in the playoffs" - Aakash Chopra lauds Sai Sudharsan's knock in IPL 2025 Eliminator

Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded Sai Sudharsan for playing a fighting knock in the Gujarat Titans' (GT) IPL 2025 Eliminator loss against the Mumbai Indians (MI). He noted that the youngster has been more consistent than Virat Kohli in IPL playoff games.

MI set GT a 229-run target in the second playoff game of IPL 2025 in New Chandigarh on Friday, May 30. Although Sudharsan scored 80 runs off 49 deliveries in the chase, his knock went in vain as the IPL 2022 champions were restricted to 208/6, losing the game by 20 runs to bow out of the tournament.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener praised Sai Sudharsan for making a seemingly impossible target look achievable, highlighting that the youngster has been more consistent than greats like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the playoffs.

"Piyush Chawla and I were on the show, and we were asked what percent chance we would give to Mumbai. Chawla said 95 percent, and I said he was right as 228 runs weren't going to be chased. When Shubman Gill got out, we said the chase won't happen at all. However, after that, Sai Sudharsan. Sai is incredible," Chopra said (8:30).

"At such a young age, he has already scored a lot of runs in the playoffs. Rohit Sharma might have scored more runs than him because he has played a lot more. Virat Kohli's performance average-wise is also not that good in the playoffs, and this small kid is doing different things. The next generation has arrived in the IPL," he added.

Sai Sudharsan had played only two IPL playoff games previously. The left-handed batter retired out for a 31-ball 43 in the Gujarat Titans' IPL 2023 Qualifier 2 win against the Mumbai Indians. He smashed a 47-ball 96, albeit in a losing cause, against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the same edition's final.

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"He is the best batter in the league by a country mile" - Aakash Chopra lauds Sai Sudharsan's performance in IPL 2025

Sai Sudharsan struck 10 fours and a six during his 80-run knock in the IPL 2025 Eliminator. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that Sai Sudharsan has been the best batter in IPL 2025.

"Of course, he has the Orange Cap on his head, but he is the best batter in the league by a country mile. There is no one close to him. His playing style is so beautiful that you just watch and behold. You say that even if he is hitting me, I would clap because the shots were so skillful," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the Tamil Nadu batter scores his runs at a brisk pace despite playing authentic cricketing shots.

"Silken touches, and he is still scoring at the rate of knots. He is running at a strike rate of 150 to 200. The asking rate was totally in control, and it didn't seem like he was taking any risks. I felt he might score a century," Chopra observed.

Sai Sudharsan is the current Orange Cap holder in IPL 2025. The Gujarat Titans opener has amassed 759 runs at a strike rate of 156.17 in 15 innings this season.