"Forget these 3 matches and focus on the IPL" - Sunil Gavaskar's message to Suryakumar Yadav
Team India batter Suryakumar Yadav's poor run in ODI cricket continued as he bagged three consecutive golden ducks in the three-match series against Australia. He failed to put his bat onto the ball even once in the three games against the Aussies.
While he is arguably the best batter in the shortest format right now, Suryakumar hasn't really managed to translate his T20 form into ODIs. He averages 24.05 from 23 ODIs and hasn't managed to cement his place in the 50-over format.
Suryakumar's confidence took a massive jolt after he registered three golden ducks on the trot. However, legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar urged the struggling batter to look forward and focus on the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
"He has just got to understand that this can happen to the best of players and it has happened to the best of players," Gavaskar told India Today. "So I think, all he has got to do now is focus and forget these three matches and focus on the IPL, get runs over there. Once he gets runs in the IPL, he will come back confident for the next one-day game."
Suryakumar has been pivotal to the Mumbai Indians' success in the IPL. He has scored plenty of runs over the years, aggregating 2644 runs in 123 matches at an average of 30.39, including 16 half-centuries.
"It's very difficult to say what is going wrong" - Sunil Gavaskar on Suryakumar Yadav
Sunil Gavaskar further stated that Suryakumar Yadav looked a bit anxious while playing the cut shot that led to his dismissal off Ashton Agar's bowling in the third ODI against Australia in Chennai.
In the previous two games, the right-handed batter was out lbw to Mitchell Starc.
"Well, he was out first-ball 3 times. It's very difficult to say what is going wrong. Yes, there were two good deliveries that Mitchell Starc bowled in the first 2 matches. Yes, he might have been a little too anxious," Gavaskar added.
Suryakumar will next be seen in action in IPL 2023, representing the Mumbai Indians.