As the ODI World Cup approaches, the Indian team management has made a specific request to the aggressive batter Suryakumar Yadav. They have urged him to face a minimum of 45 to 50 deliveries during the crucial last 15 to 18 overs of the innings, particularly in a format where his statistics are considered ordinary.
Suryakumar openly acknowledges this aspect, stating that he has “no shame in accepting that.”
Following his dominant innings of 83 runs from 44 deliveries in the third T20 International, which contributed to India’s seven-wicket victory over the West Indies and maintained their chances in the five-match series, Suryakumar displayed a candid attitude toward his less impressive performance in the 50-over format.
“My ODI numbers are very poor and there is no shame in accepting that. Being honest is very important because everyone knows that, because we all talk about honesty.
“So it is very important to stay honest about your performance. But what is more important is how to improve that,” Suryakumar said at the post-match press conference.
Captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid have advised him to play this format more.
“Rohit and Rahul sir have told me that this is the format that I don’t play much so you have to play it more and think about it.
“If you are batting in the last 10-15 overs, think what you can do for the team. All we want from you is to play 45-50 ball if you are getting to bat in the 15-18 overs, play your own game. It’s in my hand now how to change the responsibility into an opportunity,” he said.
In the ODI series against the Windies, he could not make his presence felt, managing scores of 19, 24 and 35 in the three matches.
So far, he has played 26 ODIs and scored 511 runs at an average of 24.33, a far cry from his T20I average of 45.6.
In 2023, Suryakumar played 10 ODIs and scored an average of just 14 runs.
