Suryakumar Yadav, India’s explosive T20I captain and one of the most innovative stroke-makers in modern cricket, has made an emotional appeal to his idol AB de Villiers, seeking guidance to revive his faltering ODI career and keep his World Cup ambitions alive. Despite his success in T20s, the 33-year-old admitted that he’s still searching for the right formula in the 50-over format.

In an interview with journalist Vimal Kumar on YouTube, Suryakumar Yadav opened up about his struggles to strike a balance across different formats.

“If I meet him soon, I would like to ask how he managed to balance his T20I and ODI games,” he said. “I thought ODIs should be played like T20Is, but that hasn’t worked for me. I want to know what AB did differently to be successful in both formats.”

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Known as India’s “Mr. 360°” for his dynamic shot-making, Suryakumar has played 37 ODIs, scoring 773 runs at an average of just 25—far below his T20I standards. Even after a sensational IPL 2025 season, where he smashed over 600 runs, his struggles in ODIs have prevented him from securing a consistent place in India’s 50-over setup since the 2023 World Cup.

When the interviewer assured him that his message would reach AB de Villiers, Suryakumar Yadav smiled and made a heartfelt plea directly to the South African legend. “AB, if you are listening, please get in touch soon. There are three or four important years ahead for me, and I really want to do well in ODIs. Please help me find that balance,” he said.

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Currently in Australia for the ongoing five-match T20I series, which stands level at 1-1, Suryakumar remains hopeful of rediscovering his rhythm and learning from his idol to reignite his ODI career before time runs out.