New Delhi [India], June 9 (ANI): Former batter Robin Uthappa 'genuinely believes' Sai Sudharsan is one of India's future three-format players alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill after his impressive display in the 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Sudharsan dazzled at the top during the Gujarat Titans' impressive run to the Eliminator in the recently concluded cash-rich league. He finished as the top run-getter in the tournament, ahead of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jos Buttler and others.

The 23-year-old, who retired during GT's encounter against the Mumbai Indians in 2023, has included a couple of shots in his repertoire and notched up swashbuckling performances throughout his recent campaign.

'One name that immediately comes to mind is Sai Sudharsan. His evolution over the last couple of years has been phenomenal. Just last year, he was retired out in a game for not scoring quickly enough. And this year, he hasn't changed his technique or approach; he's just added a couple of shots, knows when to accelerate, and suddenly his strike rate has jumped from 130 to 170,' Uthappa said at the launch of the Australian Summer of Cricket 2025-26.

Sudharsan carved out 759 runs in 15 matches at an average of 54.21, with a strike rate of 156.17, a century and six fifties. After his sizzling performances, Sudharsan walked away with the Orange Cap and was adjudged the Emerging Player of the Season.

Apart from his exploits in T20s, Sudharsan caught the attention of spectators with his breathtaking performances in last season's Ranji Trophy. During his three robust appearances for Tamil Nadu, he handsomely struck 304 runs at 76.00 with a century and a fifty each.

After his string of consistent runs across formats, Sudharsan was named in India's squad for the five high-stakes Tests in England. As Sudharsan continued to soar to new heights, Uthappa saw another all-format player in him.

'Now, he's the Orange Cap holder. That's mighty impressive. I genuinely believe he's one of India's future three-format players, alongside the likes of Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, all young guns in their own right. Then you've got players like Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, and so many others stepping up. This is a boiling pot of talent, and I don't think it's slowing down anytime soon,' he added. (ANI)