Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Sai Sudharsan continued his sensational run with the bat in IPL 2026, producing another classy knock for Gujarat Titans against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.The stylish left-hander struck a composed 61 off 44 balls, helping Gujarat Titans post 168/5 on a surface that demanded patience and smart shot selection from the batters. Sai’s innings included five boundaries and two sixes as he once again anchored the GT batting line-up with maturity beyond his years.
While several batters struggled to find fluency on the wicket, Sai looked in complete control, rotating strike effectively and punishing loose deliveries. His innings proved crucial in ensuring Gujarat Titans reached a competitive total in a high-pressure clash during the business end of the tournament.The half-century also helped Sai achieve a remarkable IPL milestone as he went past Virat Kohli in an elite consistency list. Sai now has three consecutive IPL seasons with 500-plus runs, having achieved the feat from 2024 to 2026. Kohli had earlier managed it from 2023 to 2025.
Most successive 500+ run seasons in IPL history:
- David Warner – 6 (2014-20)
- KL Rahul – 5 (2018-22)
- Chris Gayle – 3 (2011-13)
- Shikhar Dhawan – 3 (2019-21)
- Virat Kohli – 3 (2023-25)
- Sai Sudharsan – 3 (2024-26)*
Notably, only Chris Gayle and Sai Sudharsan have managed to maintain a strike-rate of over 140 in each of those 500-plus seasons.Sai has been one of the standout performers of IPL 2026 so far. In 12 matches, he has scored 501 runs at an average of 41.75 and a strike-rate of 155.11, smashing 49 fours and 22 sixes.
