“I feel No. 4 is too low for SKY” – Robin Uthappa wants Suryakumar Yadav to bat at No. 3 in T20 World Cup
Former cricketer Robin Uthappa has suggested that Suryakumar Yadav should play at No. 3 in the India batting order at the 2024 T20 World Cup. Uthappa wants Yadav to face more deliveries to help the Men in Blue score freely for a longer period.
The 38-year-old further picked Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as his first-choice openers and didn’t find a place for Yashasvi Jaiswal, prioritizing experience over left-right combination.
The reaction comes ahead of India’s opening game against Ireland at the 2024 T20 World Cup in New York on Wednesday, June 5. The Men in Blue will try to use this game to build momentum ahead of the Indo-Pak clash at the same venue on June 9.
Uthappa said on Ravichandran Ashwin’s channel on the eve of Men in Blue's T20 World Cup game against Ireland:
“I feel No. 4 is too low for SKY. I think SKY should get as many balls as possible. So, my top three would be Rohit, Virat and SKY.”
The cricketer-turned-commentator continued:
“I think we are headed Rohit and Virat. I don’t think we’ll need a left-hander at the top simply because one has the experience, the class, the quality, the ability, potential of what these guys can do together when they come together and play to their potential is tremendous. And, the fact that we’ve enough depth in the batting lineup.”
In T20Is, Yadav has 479 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 160.74, including a century, at No. 3. At 4, he has 1402 in 35 innings at a strike rate of 175.91 with three tons.
Jaiswal failed to deliver consistently in IPL 2024. The left-hander scored 435 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of 155.91, including one century and a fifty. Meanwhile, Kohli finished as the leading run-getter with 741 (15 games), while Rohit amassed 417 from 14 matches.
“I am not fully confident [with him] as a death bowling option” – Robin Uthappa picks Arshdeep Singh over Mohammed Siraj for 2024 T20 World Cup
Robin Uthappa further picked Arshdeep Singh over Mohammed Siraj as his death bowling partner for Jasprit Bumrah in the T20 World Cup. On this, he said:
“For me, Bumrah [first-choice pacer], and I would go [with] Arshdeep. My third seamer would be Hardik. It will proper two death bowling options because if you go [with] Siraj, somewhere I am not fully confident [with him] as a death bowling option just yet.”
Uthappa, however, backed Siraj as a brilliant bowler with the new ball. He further said that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) failed to utilize him during the powerplay in the IPL:
“Upfront, he is devastating. He’s good with the new ball. RCB misused him by not giving him the new ball and using him in the third, fourth, or fifth, they should be handing him the first over. Take it, get us a couple of wickets. Like what they do at Trent Boult.”
Arshdeep Singh picked up 19 wickets in 14 matches at an economy rate of 10.03 in IPL 2024. On the other hand, Siraj scalped 15 wickets in 14 games at an economy of 9.18.