Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh said that Suryakumar Yadav is India’s X-factor for the ODI World Cup 2023, claiming that his dynamic game could not only win India matches but could help them win the title as well. However, the Indian team management needs to pick the best one among Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, and Suryakumar Yadav for the middle order.

“Looking forward to Suryakumar Yadav. He is an X-factor. If he gets going, he won’t just win you the match, but he will win you the tournament. If I were a selector, I would have SKY as the second player in my team after the captain. Hardik Pandya is as good as anyone when it comes to hitting the ball and playing the normal game. I would play SKY if I were part of the team management. Who knows if they will play him or not?” Harbhajan Singh said at the India Today Conclave.

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“I don’t know what it is about him (Suryakumar Yadav). Today, I would be frightened bowling to him but not when I was at my peak. He reminds me of AB de Villiers. We need a player like him to play. Even if flops, I would still play him for the remaining matches. And another player I want to speak about is Shubman Gill; he has the chance to do something when he could be remembered forever,” Harbhajan Singh concluded.

It will be interesting to see if India gives the chance to Suryakumar Yadav when they play their 2023 World Cup opener against Australia in Chennai on Sunday, October 8.