"Don't compare Surya with Sanju Samson, it doesn't seem right" - Kapil Dev backs Team India management's call to persist with Suryakumar YadavÂ
Former India captain Kapil Dev has shunned the calls of those who preferred to have Sanju Samson instead of Suryakumar Yadav in the ODI playing XI.
The Mumbai-born batter etched his name in the history books for the wrong reasons after a rare feat of being dismissed on a golden duck in three consecutive matches.
Several have since questioned Suryakumar Yadav's place in the ODI squad. While he has done extraordinarily in the shortest format, he has not even remotely translated that kind of form into the 50-over game.
The right-handed batter played all three matches against Australia after Shreyas Iyer was ruled out due to a back injury. The selection committee surprisingly did not name a replacement player despite Samson returning to full fitness after suffering a knee injury in January 2023.
Opining that Suryakumar Yadav has done enough to earn more chances, Kapil Dev said on ABP News:
"A cricketer who has played so well will always get more chances. Don't compare Surya with Sanju Samson, it doesn't seem right. If Sanju goes through a bad phase then you will talk about somebody else."
"This should not happen. If the team management has decided to back Suryakumar Yadav then he should be given more chances. Yes, people will talk, give their opinion but ultimately it's the management's call," he added.
Suryakumar Yadav has scored only 49 runs in six ODI innings in 2023 at an average of 8.17 and a strike rate of 116.67.
"Maybe the idea behind sending Suryakumar at No.7 was to give him an opportunity as a finisher" - Kapil Dev
During the third ODI run chase in Chennai, KL Rahul was promoted up the order to come in at No.4, while Suryakumar Yadav was brought in at No.7. All-rounder Axar Patel was even sent ahead of him to apparently negate the threat offered by the leg spinner and the left-arm spin.
His first stint at No.7 was not a memorable one as he was bowled by Ashton Agar to worsen India's problems as the run chase progressed.
Stating that the move to push Suryakumar Yadav down the order was taken by the captain and coach to groom him as a finisher in the format, Kapil Dev said:
"It's very easy to talk after the match is finished. Maybe the idea behind sending Suryakumar at No.7 was to give him an opportunity as a finisher. This (shuffling of the batting order) is nothing new in ODIs."
"This has happened many times before. Yes, at times it can happen that a batter's confidence is dented if he has been dragged down the order. But the onus rests on the player to tell his captain that 'I can handle myself in the top order.' The coach and captain must have taken the decision with particular thinking," Kapil added further.
While Suryakumar Yadav has been backed by the captain and coach on numerous occasions despite his poor form, the batter will have to chip in with runs to lock up his place in the 2023 ODI World Cup squad.