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Sai Sudharsan was just 14 when he walked into the Krida Park, a modest sports store near Chepauk, carrying an oversized cricket bat — too big for his lanky frame. The store’s owner, Naresh JB, doesn’t just sell gear. He sized up the young boy and immediately handed him a No. 5 bat, explaining that it would suit his technique and build much better than the one he brought in.
That advice proved golden. With the new bat in hand, Sai went on to notch up three standout performances in the district cricket league. From there on, there was no turning back.
Naresh’s role didn’t end with that one bat. Every time Sai traveled with the junior or senior teams, Naresh insisted he carry at least five bats — always prepared, always ready. His belief in the youngster was unwavering.
As Sai’s career began to take flight, he never forgot the man who stood by him when no one else did. In a quiet but powerful gesture, Sai once offered Naresh a blank cheque — an acknowledgment that what they shared was more than a business relationship. But Naresh didn’t need it. Their bond was built on belief, trust, and something far beyond money.
Today, as Sai makes waves on the national stage, the story of a teenager with an oversized bat and the shopkeeper who saw greatness in him continues to inspire. “When I see him doing well today, I can’t hold my tears,” Naresh, who mostly offered SG bats to Sai, said with simmering emotions.
It wasn’t just grassroots mentors like Naresh who saw something special in Sai. Even Paras Anand, CEO of Sanspareils Greenlands (SG), recognized the promise in the young left-hander and moved quickly to bring him into the SG family.
“We regularly take feedback from coaches and former players to track emerging talent, and Sai was no different. His skill was evident early on, and we knew he had the makings of a long-term prospect,” Paras said, while praising the grounded youngster from Chennai.
SG backed Sai “to the hilt,” as Paras puts it, ensuring he had all the gear and support he needed to focus purely on his cricket. Their bet is already paying off — with Sai impressing at both domestic and franchise levels, he now represents a new generation of Indian cricketers blending humility with hunger.
Just days before his breakout knock at the Kotla on Super Sunday—shortly after fellow SG athlete KL Rahul had played a blinder—Sai was at the SG factory, personally customizing his bat. It wasn’t just a routine stop for gear; it was a pilgrimage of sorts.
Standing inside the cleft section of the factory, where raw English willow is shaped into cricket bats, Sai looked around like a child in a toy store. “I want to own these clefts and keep them at home,” he said with a smile, revealing the depth of his affection for bats.
For Sai, a bat isn’t just equipment — it’s an extension of who he is. His obsession with getting the feel, balance, and pickup just right is part of what makes him such a clean striker of the ball. He lives his SG bats — and perhaps that’s why he can score runs at will.
Very nice copy
Classic example of identifying hidden talent in youngsters by posing faith and confidence in players to excel. It does not only encourage them to practice and adopt new techniques with enthusiasm and dedication but also inculcate in them the habit of outperforming their own achievements.
Wishing Sai many such accolades in near future and kudos to Naresh and Paras for infusing confidence in him and bringing best out of him.