Sai was never under pressure as he is mentally very tough: Kotak

New Delhi, Oct 10 (PTI) When the Indian team management looks at Sai Sudharsan, it doesn't just skim through the numbers in the scorecards.

It studies the shape of his innings — the tempo, the shot selection, and the calm assurance that hints at what he could become once he's a finished product.

That's how batting coach Sitanshu Kotak described the team's approach to the young Tamil Nadu left-hander, who silenced his critics with a career-best 87 on the opening day of the second Test against the West Indies.

"We all know how talented he is. Every time you don't look at the score, you look at the batsman too — how he is batting, how he is pacing his innings, what kind of shots he plays. Sometimes, one or two innings anybody can fail, but he batted brilliantly today," Kotak said at the end of the first day's play.

Sudharsan had been under pressure after a modest start to his Test career - just one half-century in seven innings across four matches - but Kotak believes numbers never told the full story.

For Kotak, Sudharsan's poise under scrutiny was the biggest takeaway.

"While he was batting, did anyone of you feel that he was under pressure?" he counter-questioned.

"I think he is someone who is mentally very tough. You will never see him under pressure, you will never see him change his style of playing. He always plays on merit. So, the same way he batted today." However, Kotak admitted that Sudharsan's evolution is still a "work in progress", especially in how he handles certain deliveries from slow bowlers.

"The only thing we talk about is, some of the very full balls also he plays on the back foot. So, we are trying to cut out on that. He very much knows that, and he is trying (to rectify it)," Kotak said.

Decoding the left-hander's technique, Kotak described him as a predominantly back-foot player — a trait shaped by his upbringing on turning tracks in Tamil Nadu — but one that also gives him unusual power and control.

"Sai, obviously, coming from Tamil Nadu, they play a lot on turning wickets. So, he is pretty good against spin. I think his back-foot game, and some shots he plays on the back foot, not many players play, or a lot of balls which he negotiates on back foot, most of the players would negotiate off the front foot." Citing one specific instance, Kotak pointed to the left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican's delivery that skidded in to trap Sudharsan leg-before.

"If he plays (those kind of deliveries) outside the off-stump line, the same length, he could easily go on the front foot and play. Then impact would be outside off stump," Kotak explained.

Yet, Kotak was quick to acknowledge the kind of power Sudharsan generates off the back foot, an ability that few young batters possess.

"And, with his (Sudharsan's) bat swing, the way he bats, the amount of power he generates on back foot is also amazing. Some of the shots, if you have seen, through middle of extra cover, and through midwicket — that is his strength." Kotak believes Sudharsan's game has no glaring weakness.

"It isn't a big difference to him, whether it is spinners or fast bowlers. I think he (Sudharsan) bats equally well. I have been seeing him for last two-three years in India, England A-series, he batted in three games, he got two hundreds.

"I don't think wicket or anything matters to him. But I would definitely say that, on a turning track, he is a very, very good player. And he knows what areas he needs to get better at, as well." Among batters of earlier generations, stepping out to the spinners was almost a natural instinct. But Kotak feels there's no universal formula in today's game.

"I don't think we need everybody to have any particular kind of a game. So say, KL would step out, Gill would step out, Jaiswal would if he finds flighted deliveries. But it is not compulsory." When reminded about Cheteshwar Pujara's proactive approach against spinners, Kotak was measured in his comparison.

"Pujara was different. Pujara was someone who would love to step out and try and see that bowler bowl short and then he will play a cut. So his game was great and (modelled in a way) the way he wanted to. He was someone who was trying to make bowler bowl the way he wants. But then everyone has different strengths." PTI KHS KHS AH AH