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Cricket News: “Suryakumar hasn’t done anything big yet in ODI cricket”- Virender Sehwag | Sehwag shares thoughts on India middle order

Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag does not see dynamic hitter Suryakumar Yadav featuring in the first choice XI in the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.

Speaking to CricBuzz Live following the end of the third ODI between India and Australia, Sehwag said that the T20 specialist had not done anything of note to warrant an automatic place in the first XI for the World Cup.

Yadav redeemed himself in the recent series against Australia by smashing a couple of half-centuries, including a whirlwind 37-ball 72 in the second ODI at Indore.

But, his issues as an ODI batter again came to the fore in the final match in Rajkot as he struggled to come to terms with the slowness of the surface and arrest the collapse.

”He only bats in those final 15-20 overs”- Virender Sehwag on Suryakumar Yadav

With Shreyas Iyer smashing a hundred in the second ODI, the former opener said that he has confirmed his place at the number four spot, and with KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya set to bat at five and six respectively, Sehwag does not see how SKY can sneak into the XI 

Though he acknowledged Surya’s game-changing ability with the bat in the final 15 overs, he also asserted that the likes of KL or Hardik can also nail that role, but the reverse cannot be said about Suryakumar Yadav.

Here’s what Virender Sehwag said:

“Suryakumar hasn’t done anything big yet in ODI cricket. He only bats in those final 15-20 overs where he utilises his T20 abilities which undoubtedly is important as well. But Hardik, Ishan and Rahul can all do that same job as well. So Iyer is confirmed for No. 4. Suraykumar will have to wait and if he does get a chance at No. 4 he has to score a big hundred and show that he can also score a ton as well,” he told CricBuzz Live.

“At No. 6 and 7 KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya will be there. So Suryakumar won’t be there at either of those positions. There is No. 5 though. But if Hardik Pandya is your sixth bowler then Rahul will bat at No. 5, and Hardik at No. 6, then comes the bowlers. We thought Ishan Kishan could fit in somewhere in the line-up, but that hundred which Shreyas Iyer scored, if he plays at No. 4 then it will be Iyer, Rahul and Hardik at No. 4, 5 and 6 respectively,” he added.

Surya is set to retain his place in the final 15-member WC squad that the BCCI will announce on Thursday, September 28.

India will play a couple of warm-up games against defending champions England and the Netherlands before opening their campaign against five-time winners Australia in Chennai on October 8.