Suryakumar Yadav has opened up about his limited ODI career and admitted that the 50-over format remains his biggest regret in international cricket. The explosive batter made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka on July 18, 2021, and went on to represent India in 37 matches before making his final appearance in the 2023 World Cup final against Australia in Ahmedabad.

Suryakumar scored 773 runs at an average of 25.76 during his ODI career. In his final ODI, the World Cup final, he managed 18 runs from 28 deliveries as India suffered a six-wicket defeat against Australia.

Looking back at his international career, Suryakumar said he has no major regrets about his brief Test opportunity. He played only one Test match and one innings before established players returned to the team, leaving him without another chance in the format. “Hypothetically, we can say anything; had I arrived in 2016, I would have played Tests and done well in ODIs. But looking at reality, in Test cricket, I only played one match and one innings before other players returned and I didn’t get another chance,” he said on Aakash Chopra’s YouTube channel.

However, Suryakumar was much more critical of his own approach to ODI cricket. He admitted that he failed to put in the level of preparation required to succeed in the 50-over format.

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“But with One-Day cricket, yes, I am definitely disappointed with myself. It’s a white-ball format just like T20, but to be completely honest, I personally feel I didn’t put in the hard work that the format demanded,” he added.

🚨Suryakumar Yadav on ODI cricket.🚨

“I feel that the ODI format is the toughest format for a batter.” pic.twitter.com/NiDhg00FNC

— Indian Cricket 🏏 (@Indiancric1cm) August 29, 2026

Suryakumar believes ODI cricket is arguably the most demanding format for a batter because it requires players to constantly adjust their approach. Batters must build an innings during the middle overs while also knowing when to increase the scoring rate. “In my opinion, ODI cricket is the most difficult format for a batter, whether you bat lower down the order or anywhere else,” he said.

The former India T20I captain acknowledged that he understood what was expected from him at No. 5 or No. 6 but failed to develop a consistent preparation routine to master the format.

“I feel I couldn’t crack the method for that. Even though I knew I was likely to bat at five or six, I still didn’t work hard enough to truly master that format,” Suryakumar Yadav admitted.

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The batter revealed that he has even discussed his ODI struggles with his wife and accepted that his performances reflected the amount of preparation he put in. “If I didn’t put in the work, I didn’t get the results. Where I put in the effort, I got the rewards.” Suryakumar believes such honest self-assessment is essential for any cricketer hoping to improve. “You have to look at yourself in the mirror every day, and how can you lie to the person standing in the mirror? It has to be an honest reflection,” he concluded.