Suryakumar Yadav has failed to make a mark in the 50-over format as yet.
Ahead of the first ODI, veteran wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik shared his ideal playing XI for the Indian team and went with the combination of five quality batters, two premier all-rounders, two frontline pacers and two specialist spinners.
Karthik wants Suryakumar Yadav to be part of the Indian team for the World Cup and slotted him at a crucial No. 4 position. On the other hand, Ishan Kishan featured in his line-up as a wicketkeeper-batter for the West Indies series.
Rest of his choices were on the expected lines as the likes of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja appeared in the XI.
"For me, the biggest person who can take home a lot in terms of confidence and in terms of giving confidence to the selectors as well, and as someone who is a world-class player but strangely hasn't put a mark in ODI cricket, is Suryakumar Yadav. He has had quite a lean run, in the last series against Australia, he got three ducks, and post that, we also saw what he can do in the IPL. He is somebody who can take the game away in a whiff of a breath. That is how special he is. He is, in my mind, one of the best T20 players, and I have no doubt that he should be part of the World Cup squad," Karthik said on Cricbuzz.
Dinesh Karthik also feels Yuzvendra Chahal needs to make a mark in the ODI series, given that Kuldeep Yadav is ahead of him in the pecking order.
"He (Chahal) has been very sporadic with the amount of games he has played. He has hardly played many games. I think, if I am right, he has only played around five since the last one year. That is not too much to take home about. But he is fighting with Kuldeep now, who has probably just gone ahead of him. But there is always a battle between both the spinners," he added.
Dinesh Karthik's India XI for West Indies ODIs:
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (vc), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik