Suryakumar Yadav finally produced a well-deserving ODI half-century during the series opener against Australia in Mohali after a long wait of 590 days. Does this one-off performance ensure he gets a berth in India’s starting XI for the 2019 World Cup? This crucial knock not only signaled a comeback for the gifted batter.
Legendary cricketer Gautam Gambhir thinks it’s possible, but he also has some advice for captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid.
The 41-year-old provided his opinion in an open interview with Star Sports posted on YouTube. He indicated that Suryakumar should preferably start at No. 6 or 7, serving mostly as a finisher, if he is to be the World Cup team’s first-choice player. However, when pondering who would hold the crucial No. 5 position, the intriguing problem appears.
The key question will then be who will bat at No. 5, but if Suryakumar Yadav is in your first playing XI, I would want him to bat at 6-7. Jadeja can then bat at No. 5, Hardik at No. 6, and Suryakumar can bat in the final 15-20 overs as the finisher. remarked Gambhir.
However, the southpaw sensibly remarked that this tactic is not without its dangers and difficulties. If such a lineup were to be used, the top four batters’ responsibility load would increase dramatically, potentially putting more stress on their shoulders.
But choosing whether you want Jadeja at No. 5 and Suryakumar, in the form that he is in ODI cricket, at No. 7 will be a tremendous bet. The top four would bear a great deal of responsibility as a result,” he continued.
Problem with Suryakumar Yadav
The dynamic batter’s meteoric ascension in the ICC T20I batting rankings in 2022 due to his brilliant performance in the shortest format is where “Project Suryakumar” got its start. Recognizing the potential, Rohit Sharma aggressively supported Suryakumar for a key position in the ODI setup. Intriguing decisions lie ahead for India’s World Cup campaign, and the 33-year-old batter’s future in the team is still the topic of intense discussion.
At a crossroads, captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid debate whether to take the risk and assign the right-handed batter the finisher’s role or look at other options to strengthen the middle order. The cricketing community waits impatiently to see how this crucial choice plays out on the huge World Cup stage.
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