Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has urged the Indian team management to include Suryakumar Yadav in every match that they play in the upcoming ICC World Cup 2023 which begins on October 5.
This comes after Suryakumar Yadav scored back-to-back half-centuries against Australia in the first two ODIs of the ongoing three-match series. While his fifty in Mohali was a patient one, Suryakumar Yadav showed his true talent in Indore, when he smoked 72* in 37 balls. This included four sixes off four balls in one Cameron Green over.
He helped India to 399/5 and then the Men in Blue won the second ODI by 99 runs via the DLS method.
Harbhajan said Suryakumar should be the first name on the team sheet at the World Cup for India. Suryakumar has been included in India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming home World Cup.
“Suryakumar Yadav should play every match. In whose place, I don’t know. But his name should be the first one to be written down. After that, the other players should be selected. He is a player who can win you games and completely change the complexion of a match. When he performs, he will turn the match into a one-sided one. No better player can bat a better strike rate,” Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel.
Suryakumar has scored 659 runs in 29 ODIs for India, at an average of 28.65.
“Among finishers, we have Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja, but I feel Suryakumar Yadav should play at No. 5. He should play every World Cup match. No team has a better player than him,” said Harbhajan.
India is set to take on Australia in the third and final ODI of the series at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot on September 27.
