India, April 7 -- There is a temptation to see Sai Sudharsan as a gifted player who simply turns up and scores big runs in the Indian Premier League.

It's understandable. With 759 runs at an average of 54.21 last season, he was the tournament's leading run-scorer. In IPL 2024, he scored 527 runs at an average of 47.91. This season, he fumbled in Gujarat Titans' first game but was back on track in the next against Rajasthan Royals-scoring 73 off 44 balls.

However, if you watch closely, a different picture emerges. He is not just a talented T20 batter, but a player obsessed with preparation who can quickly adapt to situations. Sudharsan says there is no separate "IPL mode," and he doesn't prepare differently though his consistency in the ...