"Where do you fit him?" - Wasim Jaffer on Suryakumar Yadav's absence from India's ODI playing XI

Wasim Jaffer feels it is difficult to slot in-form batter Suryakumar Yadav into India's ODI playing XI at present. The star batter was left out of the side for the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Guwahati on Tuesday, January 10.

Suryakumar had a fantastic year in T20Is in 2022, amassing 1164 runs in 31 games matches. He also smashed a swashbuckling century in the final T20I against Sri Lanka in Rajkot.

While a section of former cricketers have urged the Indian think tank to include Suryakumar in the ODI side, Jaffer feels it is difficult to find a place for the Mumbai Indians (MI) batter.

The former Indian opener feels it would be unfair to drop Shreyas Iyer after his consistent performance last year where scored 724 runs, including a century and six fifties, in 15 innings at an average of 55.69.

"Yes you want all your in-form players to feature in the side, but where do you fit him?" Jaffer said on ESPNCricinfo. "The only possible option is in place of Shreyas Iyer but he deserves to be in the playing XI given the form he is in."

"If Ishan Kishan would have played, then you could have played him in place of KL Rahul, but if your keeper is Rahul, then the only option is Shreyas Iyer," he added. "But I feel Shreyas Iyer should get a long rope first."

Mohammad Kaif

@MohammadKaif

Slightly uncomfortable with the prospect of watching an Indian team today without last ODI's double hundred scorer, Ishan Kishan, and last T20's centurion Suryakumar Yadav. Hope they remain motivated. #INDvSL

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Slightly uncomfortable with the prospect of watching an Indian team today without last ODI's double hundred scorer, Ishan Kishan, and last T20's centurion Suryakumar Yadav. Hope they remain motivated. #INDvSL

Incidentally, Suryakumar is yet to replicate his T20I form in ODIs. The Mumbai-born batter has managed to score only 384 runs in 16 matches at an average of 32 and a strike rate of just over 100.

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"Feel bad for you my friend" - Krishnamachari Srikkanth on Suryakumar Yadav

Former batter Krishnamachari Srikkanth apologized to Suryakumar Yadav after the latter was left out of India's playing XI for the first ODI against Sri Lanka.

In contrast to Wasim Jaffer's opinion, the former chairman of selectors was disappointed not to see Suryakumar's name in the playing XI.

"Surya, I'm so sorry, I feel bad for you my friend," Srikkanth said while speaking on the host broadcaster. "Suryakumar Yadav not there in the team? You look at the top five and ask, who are the impact players there? Who are the guys who can take the game away from the opposition?"

BCCI

@BCCI

For his stupendous knock of 113 off 87 deliveries, @imVkohli is adjudged Player of the Match as #TeamIndia beat Sri Lanka by 67 runs.

Scorecard - bit.ly/INDvSL-2023-1S… #INDvSL
@mastercardindia

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For his stupendous knock of 113 off 87 deliveries, @imVkohli is adjudged Player of the Match as #TeamIndia beat Sri Lanka by 67 runs.

Scorecard - bit.ly/INDvSL-2023-1S… #INDvSL
@mastercardindia https://t.co/ecI40guZuB

Meanwhile, India secured a thumping 67-run victory in the first ODI to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The second ODI is scheduled to take place at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday, January 12.

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