"Should have taken more responsibility" - Salman Butt unimpressed by Suryakumar Yadav's batting in IND vs AUS 2023 final
Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt criticized Indian batter Suryakumar Yadav for not taking enough responsibility while batting in the 2023 World Cup final against Australia in Ahmedabad on Sunday, November 19.
He opined that Suryakumar should have faced most of the deliveries when he was batting with the tailenders during the back end of the innings. Butt pointed out that instead of going for big shots, the dynamic batter took singles and stood at the non-striker's end.
The cricketer-turned-expert, in his latest YouTube video, said:
"I couldn't understand what Suryakumar Yadav was trying to do. He needed to play his shots when he was batting with the tailenders, but instead took singles and went at the non-striker's end.
"There was some reverse swing, and Australia had proven fast bowlers. They weren't the kind of bowlers whom Mohammed Shami or Jasprit Bumrah would have been able to hit. Suryakumar Yadav should have taken more responsibility." he added.
The onus was on Suryakumar Yadav to help the Men in Blue finish their innings with a flurry. However, he failed to get going, scoring just 18 runs off 28 deliveries. India were bundled out for 240 in the summit clash, eventually suffering a heartbreaking six-wicket defeat.
"Virat Kohli was unlucky" - Salman Butt on the Indian batter's dismissal in 2023 World Cup final
Salman Butt reserved high praise for Team India's senior batter Virat Kohli. He suggested that the star batter was unfortunate to get out after finding the momentum.
Kohli notched up a fine half-century in the crucial encounter, contributing 54 runs. Butt suggested that India had a great chance of registering an imposing score had the senior batter remained on the crease for a few more overs, adding:
"Virat Kohli was unlucky. He was outstanding with the bat and took India to a place where they would have been in the driver's seat if he and KL Rahul batted together for another 10 overs. However, Australia kept taking wickets at crucial junctures, not letting India stitch a partnership."
Virat Kohli finished as the leading run-getter in the showpiece event, chalking up 765 runs in 11 innings, which is also the most runs scored by a batter in a single edition. He was named the Player of the Tournament at the 2023 World Cup.