The Ajit Agarkar selection panel has opted for a sensational batter Suryakumar Yadav for the ODI WC 2023. Suryakumar Yadav though doesn’t have a promising record in the ODI format and has failed to grab the eyeballs of the spectators and the management but still, head coach Rahul Dravid & skipper Rohit Sharma have shown faith in him.
Suryakumar Yadav can be used as a finisher at the No.7 position rather than making him bat in the middle order. India’s middle order despite trying multiple batters looks bleak which is not a good sign for the host nation and all eyes would be on Virat Kohli who would be keen to end the drought of 10 years without an ICC trophy.
Suryakumar Yadav has a very good idea of where to hit the boundaries- Sanjay Bangar
Sanjay Bangar was having an interaction with ESPNcricinfo and stated that Suryakumar Yadav needs to find out how to bat between the 25th and the 40th over. Sanjay Bangar pointed out that he needs to rotate the strike during the phase of the 25th and the 40th over and needs to find his own method of scoring runs in the ODI format.
“Every batsman needs to find that formula on how to score runs. And Suryakumar Yadav is a versatile player, and he definitely targets boundaries and where to hit them. He has a very good idea of where to hit them, but if there is one thing he needs to do, it is to find out how to bat between the 25th and the 40th over,” said Sanjay Bangar.
“I don’t think he is clear in his head and heart about how to score runs in this period. He can play like he does in the T20 format, but if wickets fall, he needs to find out how to rotate strike between the 25th and the 40th over, and he needs to find his own method to score runs here which he is obviously thinking about,” he added.
Questionable selection by BCCI’s selection panel
The selection panel once again overlooked Sanju Samson for ODI WC 2023 despite the batter averaging 55.71 in the ODI format. Sanju Samson could have been a far better option rather than Suryakumar Yadav for the marquee tournament as Sanju knows how to tackle the bowlers in the middle overs phase.
It would be interesting to see as who would keep the wickets as the side already has KL Rahul & Ishan Kishan. We can expect split wicket-keeping for the ODI World Cup 2023. Ishan Kishan can be used as the pinch hitter as the left handed batter has got similar traits like Rishabh Pant (*injured).