Ahead of the India vs. Australia clash on October 8 in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, the legendary spinner Harbhajan Singh showered rich praise on Suryakumar Yadav and his batting prowess, calling him the X factor for India.

The AAP MP and cricket expert added that Suryakumar is a game-changer who cannot just win a match but win the ODI World Cup 2023. 

The 2011 World Cup winner also feels Shubman Gill has the opportunity to etch his name in the annals of cricketing history with his performance in the World Cup 2023, as India is aiming to win the trophy after 12 years.

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Harbhajan Singh said at the India Today Conclave: “Looking forward to Suryakumar Yadav. He is an X-factor. If he gets going, he won't just win you the match, but he will win you the tournament. If I were a selector, I would have SKY as the second player in my team after the captain.”

He continued, “Hardik Pandya is as good as anyone when it comes to hitting the ball and playing the normal game. I would play SKY if I were part of the team management. Who knows if they will play him or not? I don't know what it is about him (Suryakumar Yadav). Today, I would be frightened bowling to him but not when I was at my peak.”

Harbhajan also lauded Surya’s fearlessness and 360-degree batting and said he reminds him of the South African legend AB de Villiers.

Harbhajan signed off by saying, “He reminds me of AB de Villiers. We need a player like him to play. Even if flops, I would still play him for the remaining matches. And another player I want to speak about is Shubman Gill; he has the chance to do something when he could be remembered forever.”

(With India Today Inputs)