B Sai Sudharsan said India head coach Gautam Gambhir gave him "so much confidence and freedom" despite a slightly challenging initiation into Test cricket.

Sudharsan managed just a solitary half-century in six innings in England, and fell for 7 in his only innings against West Indies in Ahmedabad. Coming into the second Test in Delhi, he admitted to have felt some pressure, until a chat with Gambhir put him at ease.

"The support has been impeccable," Sudharsan said in Bengaluru where he'll be vice-captain for India A in the first unofficial Test against South Africa A. "After the first game in Ahmedabad, we were practicing at the Feroz Shah Kotla nets. As always, I was the last to come out of the nets.

"GG [Gambhir] sir called me and said, 'You are not getting desperate. You are on

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