"Is he struggling a little in big matches?" - Aakash Chopra on Suryakumar Yadav's failure in India's 2024 T20 World Cup win vs Pakistan
Aakash Chopra has questioned whether Suryakumar Yadav is consistently failing in big games. The middle-order batter was dismissed for an eight-ball seven in India's 2024 T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan.
India were bundled out for 119 after being asked to bat first in New York on Sunday, June 9. However, the Men in Blue restricted Babar Azam and company to 113/7 to register a narrow six-run win and leave a tough road ahead for their arch-rivals to qualify for the Super Eights.
Reflecting on India's batting on the AakashVani show on Sports18, Chopra noted that Suryakumar endured another failure in a big game after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were dismissed cheaply.
"Pakistan asked India to bat first and batting well was difficult. Virat Kohli got out and then Rohit Sharma got out. Rishabh Pant was standing but Suryakumar Yadav got out again, and that's a question. If you see Suryakumar Yadav's performance, it's very good otherwise, but is he struggling a little in big matches?" he said.
The former India opener pointed out that the unconventional batter was dismissed cheaply even in the 2022 T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan and the 2023 ODI World Cup final against Australia.
"It's actually a big question. It happened against Pakistan in Melbourne, against Pakistan here as well, and then when you see the ODI World Cup final against Australia. Is Suryakumar Yadav unable to seize the big moments?" Chopra questioned.
Suryakumar was dismissed for a 10-ball 15 before Kohli's unbeaten 53-ball 82 helped India register a four-wicket win in the 2022 T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan in Melbourne. India's Mr. 360 scored 18 runs off 28 deliveries in their six-wicket loss to Australia in last year's ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad.
"Shivam Dube's form is the second big question" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra reckons Shivam Dube's indifferent recent form is another concern for India.
"Shivam Dube's form is the second big question because when you are 81/3 after 10 overs, and when you lose the fourth wicket at the score of 89, why don't you score 150? Rishabh Pant was brilliant but then the flurry of wickets, one followed by the other, and when you are unable to play the entire 20 overs, it seemed like advantage Pakistan," he elaborated.
While observing that India were bowled out for a below-par total, the cricketer-turned-commentator noted that Babar Azam's captaincy helped them reach that far.
"Babar Azam's captaincy was thumbs down with both hands because Iftikhar Ahmed came to bowl before Haris Rauf. Haris Rauf's first over was the ninth over. Naseem Shah picked up a wicket in his first over and then went missing for a long time. You could have clasped India at that stage but you didn't do that," Chopra explained.
Haris Rauf (3/21) was introduced into the attack only in the 10th over. Naseem Shah, who also finished with figures of 3/21, was removed from the attack after dismissing Virat Kohli in the second over and wasn't given the ball until the eighth over.