3 reasons why Suryakumar Yadav can pay off India's trust in him in 2023 World Cup
Suryakumar Yadav's selection in the ODI World Cup squad for Team India has raised quite a few eyebrows. Many felt that the likes of Sanju Samson deserved a chance ahead of him, but the team management seems to have seen something in SKY that many haven't been able to.
Despite being the No. 1 T20I batter in the world, it has been a rather strange situation that Suryakumar hasn't yet been able to crack the ODI format. He doesn't have great numbers in this format for India, averaging just 24.3 from 26 ODIs.
Nevertheless, the team management has put its faith in Suryakumar Yadav, and as the star batter turns 33 today (September 14), here are three reasons why he could well repay the trust shown in him:
#3 Suryakumar Yadav is an absolute game-changer
Suryakumar Yadav comes into his own during the shortest format and perhaps that's why he has been pretty vocal about the role given to him by the likes of Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid.
If the Men in Blue have a platform set in the first 30-35 overs, SKY could be the point of difference with his ability to explode almost from the get-go. When he gets into the groove, it is pretty difficult to stop him and there have been many instances where he has just taken the game away from the opposition.
#2 Equally dominant against spin and pace
Alongside Shreyas Iyer, SKY is probably India's best batter against spin. He has shown in the IPL as well as in the T20Is for India just how badly he can dent the spinners of the opposition.
On his very first ball that he faced in international cricket, Suryakumar deposited Jofra Archer's delivery into the stands at the fine leg. That showed just how good he is against pace as well, not willing to back down especially when the bowlers try and hit aggressive short-pitched lengths. Such a complete game and range of shots could help India in the World Cup.
#1 Not fazed by the big stage
Arguably the most important trait of Suryakumar Yadav is that he is able to produce his best even in the most testing circumstances. SKY scored an incredible 68 against South Africa in the T20 World Cup last year, a knock that was almost like a one-man-army effort with others struggling on a fast pitch in Perth.
India's Achilles heel has arguably been their mindset in knockout games and that's where the fearless strokeplay of Suryakumar Yadav could end up helping them. Only time will tell whether SKY could emulate the performances of Suresh Raina in the 2011 World Cup and help his team break the ICC Trophy jinx.