IND vs ENG 2021: 3 reasons why Suryakumar Yadav must play at least one Test in England
Suryakumar Yadav has been a revelation in 2021. Ever since his defining knock against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in 2020, he was seen as a man waiting to book a berth in the senior side.
It only got better for the Mumbai lad from there on. He made a case for himself in the limited-overs skirmishes against England and Sri Lanka. With one fifty in the ODIs and two in the T20Is, he's shown enough potential to be jetted off to England.
He may find it hard to break into playing XI considering there are enough backup options to beef up India's middle order. Nonetheless, it would be a good opportunity for the 30-year-old if he gets to play at least one Test in the five-match series starting August 4.
We take a look at three reasons why Suryakumar Yadav needs to play at least one Test against England.
#1 A litmus test of his temperament and skills
A mature head, audacious strokeplay, mental and physical toughness, sublime timing and the nimble footwork has all been part of Suryakumar Yadav's game since he made the India squad to play the shorter format.
However, in England, where the hosts are a powerhouse, the likes of James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Jack Leach will test the batsman. Irrespective of how he fares, this will be a learning curve for Suryakumar Yadav - one he could use to develop his game in the years to come.
#2 A chance for India to infuse new blood
With Ajinkya Rahane's inconsistency being a topic of discussion, it wouldn't hurt to make a change at some point in the series if the poor run continues. Not only does this help Surykumar Yadav, but it also gives a chance for the think-tank to see what he's made of and infuse new blood in the middle.
Known as a batsman not afraid to innovate, he may bring in a repertoire of strokes and shots that's uncommon, yet effective.
#3 Purely because Suryakumar Yadav deserves it
This may seem as a more personal opinion, but anyone who has followed his game over the last few years knows a thing or two about what he brings to the table.
The numbers speak for themselves: 5326 runs in 55 FC matches at an average of 44.01, 3879 T20 runs at an average of 31.53, 2903 runs from 14 List A games and a total of seven games for India with a total of 263 runs at averages of 62.00 and 46.33. These numbers combined with his abilities surely merits one game in England.