In the recently concluded third Test in Leeds against England, there were some holes in the Indian batting unit which cost the visitors the Test match. India suffered an innings and 76 runs defeat on day four of the Test leading to England equaling the series 1-1 with two more Tests to go.
Thus, the former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar has backed the Mumbai-based Suryakumar Yadav to make it into the XI for the fourth Test match against England.
“I don’t like to sound as if it’s a knee-jerk reaction but I firmly believe we need to strengthen our batting line-up by including Suryakumar Yadav ahead of Hanuma Vihari. We should drop a bowler and go in with six batsmen,” Vengsarkar told PTI.
Vegsarkar believes, the Mumbai-based right-hand batsman who was sent to the UK after an impressive white-ball Sri Lanka tour has the ability and temperament to make an impact in the Test format as well and hence should be picked for the next match at the Oval.
“Surya can match (in terms of skills) with the best in this Indian team and since he’s around for some time now he should be included before it’s too late,” the former India cricketer said.
Along with a lot of fans, the 65-year-old was also baffled by seeing India’s one of the best off-spinners R Ashwin excluded from the playing XI yet again.
“Why Ashwin is not been picked so far is a mystery to me? You leave out your best spinner out of the playing eleven to me is hard to digest,” the right-hand batsman said.
The former cricketer who was is one of the best national selection committee chairman, then suggested the tourists play 6 specialist batters and 4 bowlers in the remaining Tests of the series.
“India will have to play with four bowlers and six batsmen if they have to win the remaining games,” Vengsarkar who has 6,868 Test runs with 17 hundreds to his name concluded his talk.
(With PTI Inputs)
