"This is not T20 cricket my friend" - Fans react to Suryakumar Yadav's early dismissal in 1st ODI against New Zealandย
Team India batter Suryakumar Yadav had a lean day in office during the first ODI against New Zealand on Friday, getting dismissed for just four runs.
The in-form Suryakumar came into bat following the dismissal of Rishabh Pant in the 33rd over. He started his knock with a sublime boundary off the very first ball off Lockie Ferguson. But the right-arm speedster bounced back with a length ball outside off, which brought forward a tentative push by Suryakumar.
The resulting outside edge was safely pouched by Finn Allen at first slip. Suryakumar's wicket marked Ferguson's second in the over and third of the spell.
Suryakumar Yadav has looked near-invincible in the shortest format of the game, even rising to the No. 1 ranking among batters. But his ODI numbers still leave a lot to be desired.
The Mumbai-born batter had a rather lean series against the West Indies earlier this year, scoring only 30 runs in three matches. His last ODI fifty came against West Indies at the start of the year, which means he has gone seven innings without a 50-plus score in the format.
Some fans believe Suryakumar won't be able to cope with the demands of the 50-over format unless he alters his approach. Here are some of the reactions:
Team India build up to the death overs after Suryakumar Yadav's dismissal
Suryakumar's dismissal has thrown a wrench into Team India's plans. The four wickets that have fallen so far in the innings have come in clumps, regularly bringing in new batters at the crease.
Sanju Samson, who has been touted as the designated finisher at No. 6, is currently at the crease with the relatively settled Shreyas Iyer at the other end. The latter recorded a hundred in his last appearance at Eden Park in Auckland.
At the time of writing, the Men in Blue have scored 186-4 with 12 overs remaining in the first innings.
Should Suryakumar Yadav tweak his approach to meet the demands of the longer 50-over format? Let us know what you think.
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