Gautam Gambhir feels Suryakumar Yadav struggle because of India's strategy in the final.
Wasim Akram and Gautam Gambhir have questioned Team India’s decision to send Ravindra Jadeja ahead of Suryakumar Yadav in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 final against Australia in Ahmedabad.
The Indian cricket team brought back Mohammad Shami and Suryakumar into the playing XI after star all-rounder Hardik Pandya was ruled out of the recent ICC World Cup 2023 due to an ankle injury.
Well, the move paid off really well, as Shami emerged as the highest wicket taker in the World Cup 2023 with 24 wickets, and even Suryakumar made some valuable contributions. But in the high-pressure CWC 2023 final, the think tank of the Indian team stunned Gambhir and Akram by demoting Suryakumar for Jadeja in the batting line-up when the hosts needed some big shots.
Jadeja (9) came in at No. 6, while Surya (18) batted at No. 7 in the final, and the former cricketers feel that if India did not have confidence in the Mumbaikar, then why did they pick him?
Wasim Akram was quoted as saying by Sportskeeda: “I didn't understand why Jadeja was sent ahead of Suryakumar Yadav. Why was he demoted to No. 7? That was nowhere the right call for me.”
The former Pakistan captain continued, “I mean he is playing purely as a batter there. I could have understood the move if Hardik was there in the line-up.”
On the other hand, Gautam Gambhir said: “Imagine if KL Rahul as batting with a certain temp with Kohli then it makes even more sense to sent Suryakumar in and ask him to play aggressive cricket, play his natural cricket because you still have Jadeja.”
He further explained, “It is very easy to say for an expert to say that Suryakumar struggled. But the player's mindset is that if he gets out the next batters are Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Siraj and Kuldeep. However, if he knows that the next batsman in is Jadeja then he would have had a different mindset. If you were not confident in Suryakumar at No. 6 then you might as well should have picked someone else.”
Notably, India will be next hosting Australia in a five-match T20I series, starting on November 23, where Suryakumar will lead the side in absence of Hardik Pandya.