WI vs IND: Important to give Suryakumar Yadav cushion of extra games ahead of World Cup, says Rohit Sharma

Indian skipper Rohit Sharma has backed Suryakumar Yadav to excel in the ODI format for the national team, even though he has faced challenges in maintaining consistency in this version of the game. Acknowledged as one of the premier T20 batsmen globally, Suryakumar has encountered struggles while adapting to ODI cricket.

In his 26 ODIs, Suryakumar has managed to accumulate only 511 runs at an average of 24.33, a subpar record that has sparked doubts about his spot in the Indian squad for the upcoming Asia Cup and ODI World Cup.

Rohit Sharma, speaking at a La Liga event in Mumbai, acknowledged the disparity in challenges between T20 and ODI cricket. He emphasized that Suryakumar is diligently working hard and seeking guidance from experienced ODI players to enhance his attitude and mindset.

“There is no question about his ability in the T20 format. The challenges (in ODIs) are different. He is really working hard and he is talking to a lot of guys who have played a lot of ODI cricket as to what attitude and mindset (to have). Surya is also in the mix. The team management backs him to come good in ODIs, but despite the chances, he is yet to adapt,” Rohit Sharma said on the sidelines of a La Liga event in Mumbai.

The Indian skipper highlighted Suryakumar’s remarkable turnaround in the IPL 2023 season, where he struggled initially but ultimately showcased his prowess with the bat.

“He is the kind of player, you also have to give him that freedom to go and bat the way he does. You cannot tell him to face 100 balls and make 50 runs. It is important to give a batter like him the cushion of extra games so that he finds that groove, gets that confidence. The way he started IPL this year, in the first 4-5 games he did not have too many runs but look what he did after that.”

Rohit heaped rich praise on Suryakumar for his knock in the third T20I against the West Indies and that’s how he expects him to deliver in the ODI format.

“For a player like him, it is our job to create such a situation and scenario – it’s okay if you don’t do well in 2-3 games, but when you come off, we know you will win games straightaway. That is what he did in the third T20I, the batters at the top got out, and for Surya to go and bat like that,” Rohit added.