Suryakumar Yadav is one of the most exciting batters in the world today, but his struggles in ODIs have become a cause for concern for the Indian team management. In the Asia Cup clash against Bangladesh on Friday, Suryakumar was once again dismissed cheaply, scoring 26 off 34 deliveries. He has an average of just 24.40 after 25 ODI innings, and he has yet to score a century in the format. His strike rate is also below par, at 104.44.
Despite his struggles, the Indian team management has continued to back Suryakumar. Former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden, who has himself experienced the frustration of being dropped from the national team, has come out in support of Suryakumar. He believes that the Indian batter is trying too hard to prove himself in ODIs, and that is leading to his downfall.
“Tonight, he just played ‘get out of the jail’ shots, trying to get those lack of respect runs. Even when Jadeja came to play, he was going bang-bang-bang with Shubman Gill powering away. That takes a lot of confidence internally. You have to be right at the top of your game,” Matthew Hayden said on Star Sports.
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He added, “When you are fighting so hard to find respect from your country in that one format, the harder you chase it, the farther it seems to get away. So, I do feel for Suryakumar Yadav, who I think has a huge role to play in this World Cup.”
It remains to be seen whether the Indian team management will continue to back Suryakumar for the World Cup. If they do, then they will be hoping that he can finally overcome his struggles in ODIs and perform to his full potential. However, just when it seemed like Suryakumar was about to get going, he was dismissed by Shakib Al Hasan.
Suryakumar Yadav attempted a sweep shot, but he mistimed it completely and the ball went straight to the fielder at short fine leg. Matthew Hayden was critical of Suryakumar’s shot selection, and he felt that the batter was trying too hard to play a big shot. He also felt that Suryakumar was not in complete control of his innings. Despite his criticism, Hayden also believes that Suryakumar is a world-class talent who can be a match-winner on his day.
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“He’s a world-class player. He’s got all the shots in the book. He’s just got to find his rhythm in this format. Once he finds his rhythm, he’s going to be a very dangerous player,” Matthew Hayden said.
