"Suryakumar Yadav is 1000 times better than Shreyas Iyer" - Basit Ali after India's ODI series loss to Sri Lanka
Former Pakistani batter Basit Ali reckoned that Team India must pick Suryakumar Yadav over Shreyas Iyer in the ODI team. He made these comments after Sri Lanka won the three-match ODI series 2-0 against the Rohit Sharma-led side.
He suggested that India needed someone like Suryakumar in the series against Sri Lanka, given the swashbuckling batter's ability to counter the spinners with sweeps and reverse sweeps.
Speaking in his latest YouTube video, Basit stated (from 7:16):
"Shreyas Iyer has an average of over 40. However, Suryakumar Yadav is 1000 times better than Shreyas Iyer. You needed someone who could play the sweep and reverse sweep. Suryakumar and Jaiswal would have tackled these spinners very easily."
Shreyas Iyer failed to get going in the three-match series. The right-handed batter was dismissed for 23 in the tied first ODI. He failed to make amends in the remaining encounters, registering scores of seven and eight.
Suryakumar Yadav, on the other hand, captained India to a 3-0 series win over Sri Lanka earlier in the tour. He looked in fine form with the bat as well, winning the Player of the Series award for scoring 92 runs across three innings.
"This guy is going to be a superstar" - Basit Ali on Riyan Parag
Riyan Parag made his ODI debut in the third and final fixture of the series between India and Sri Lanka on Wednesday, August 7. Basit Ali predicted a bright future for the youngster, saying that he was going to be a superstar for the Men in Blue.
He, however, was unhappy with the Indian team management's decision to send Parag to bat at No. 7. Suggesting that the all-rounder should have been given a chance to bat higher up the order, Basit Ali said (from 3:04):
"When Riyan Parag received his ODI cap from Virat Kohli, my heart said that this guy is going to be a superstar. However, he had to bat out of position. When you pick somebody, you must give him a proper chance. His development will be faster if he gets to play in tough situations. If I was part of the Indian team management, I would have sent him at No. 4."
Parag scored just 15 runs in his maiden ODI outing. He did a fine job with the ball, registering figures of 9-0-54-3.