Veteran Team India batter Suryakumar Yadav has made himself a prominent T20 format star but he has failed to do the same for other formats to cement himself a spot in the Test team setup. He will have a few red-ball matches in the Buchi Babu tournament and the Duleep Trophy to make a strong case before the home season as well. Despite playing 82 first-class matches since his debut for Mumbai in 2010, Suryakumar Yadav has only played a solitary Test match for India so far.

“Red-ball cricket has always been my priority. When I grew up in the maidans of Mumbai and played a lot of local cricket, I started playing with the red cherry. The love for the longest format began there, and has always been there. I’ve taken part in a lot of First Class matches for more than 10 years now and I still cherish playing this format. There’s no question about it and that’s why I’m here before the Duleep Trophy,” Suryakumar Yadav said in an interview with Sportstar.

However, Suryakumar Yadav has expressed to play across all formats for Men in Blue. However, he needs runs in the remaining formats to seal his place.

“There are a lot of people who have worked really hard to earn their place and even I want to earn that spot again. I made my debut for India in Tests. After that, I got injured as well. There were a lot of people who got an opportunity and have done well too. They deserve that opportunity right now,” Suryakumar Yadav said in the same interview. “Going forward, if I have to play, then I’ll automatically play. That’s not in my control. What’s in my power right now is to play the Buchi Babu tournament, go on to play Duleep Trophy and then see what happens.”