CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) on Wednesday issued a statement that batter Sai Sudharsan has been drafted into the state squad for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) T20 tournament currently underway in Ahmedabad.

Sudharsan joins the side fresh from India’s Test series defeat in Guwahati, where the hosts slipped to a 0–2 loss against South Africa. The left-hander managed scores of 15 and 14 in the match, which India lost by an innings and 408 runs.

His arrival is expected to strengthen Tamil Nadu, which opened its Group D campaign with a six-wicket defeat to Rajasthan earlier in the day.

The 24-year-old will also return to familiar surroundings in Ahmedabad, having spent multiple seasons with the Gujarat Titans in the IPL. He enjoyed a standout year with the franchise in 2025, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with 759 runs from 15 innings at a strike rate of 156.17 while opening the batting.