"For the short term, he has gone ahead of Shreyas Iyer" - Aakash Chopra lauds Suryakumar Yadav's knock in the 2nd ODI

Suryakumar Yadav was the only half-centurion in the Indian innings in the 2nd ODI [P/C: BCCI]

Aakash Chopra believes Suryakumar Yadav has moved above Shreyas Iyer in the pecking order of Team India's middle-order batters in ODI cricket.

Yadav played a 64-run knock off 83 deliveries in the second ODI against West Indies on Wednesday. His innings helped the Rohit Sharma-led side set a fighting target of 238 runs, which proved a bridge too far for the visitors in the end.

While lauding Yadav's batting performance in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra opined that the 31-year-old has moved ahead of his fellow Mumbaikar for the time being. He elaborated:

"For the short term, he [Yadav] has gone ahead of Shreyas Iyer. I am not saying long team because we had said six months ago that Shreyas Iyer is confirmed, that he will play at No. 4. This is Indian cricket, it keeps changing every third month and at times in three weeks."

The former India opener highlighted that Suryakumar Yadav has delivered the goods in whatever role has been assigned to him. Chopra explained:

"The Surya is shining. You can hide the Surya for some time behind the clouds but you cannot hide its light forever. A lot of work is being getting done from him, he is being made to bat up and down the order but he has been brilliant."

Yadav has amassed 261 runs at an excellent average of 65.25 in the six ODIs he has played for Team India to date. These runs have also come at an impressive strike rate of 103.57.

"The Indian team was in trouble" - Aakash Chopra on the Suryakumar Yadav-KL Rahul partnership

Suryakumar Yadav batted as per the demands of the situation [P/C: BCCI]

Aakash Chopra pointed out Team India was in a spot of bother when Yadav joined KL Rahul in the middle and would have been in deeper waters if Shai Hope had held on to the catch offered by the latter. He said:

"When three batters were dismissed, the Indian team was in trouble. When Suryakumar Yadav was there with KL Rahul at the other end, KL Rahul was almost dismissed once, we might have lost the match if that catch had been taken."

While appreciating Rahul's knock, the renowned commentator was particularly effusive in his praise for Yadav. Chopra explained:

"There is no doubt that KL Rahul played well, we have the expectation that he will play like this whenever he plays but the way Suryakumar Yadav is batting, he has been absolutely sensational. He has had a limited career, 31 is his lowest score in that, you make him bat up and down the order and he scores runs."

Suryakumar Yadav in ODIs:

31* (20).
53 (44).
40 (37).
39 (32).
34* (36).
64 (83).

- 261 runs at an average of 65.25 with 103.57 Strike Rate. Impressive start by Surya.

Yadav and Rahul added 91 runs for the fourth wicket after the Men In Blue were reduced to a score of 43/3. The partnership was broken when the Indian vice-captain was run out due to a slight mix-up between the duo.