IND vs AUS: Former legend advises ‘bizarre record-holder in ODIs’ Suryakumar Yadav following latest slump

Cricket is great leveller – watch how things panned out for India’s star T20I batter Suryakumar Yadav lately. Having achieved numerous records in the past year in the shortest format, Surya failed to replicate even half of it in the extended version of T20s – the ODIs. On Wednesday, following his third first-ball-duck against Australia in the series, former India legend Sunil Gavaskar came to his aid, advising him to now concentrate on the IPL and let everything else go. 

While Mitchell Starc trapped him in front of wickets In the most similar manner in the first two ODIs, incoming spin-bowling all-rounder Ashton Agar clean bowled him on yet another first-ball zero. It meant Surya didn’t even touch the ball in any of the ODIs and entered an unwanted record list of Indian batters who got out on a duck in three successive games in the past, including the great Sachin Tendulkar.

While speaking with Star Sports after the third One-Day that India lost by 28 runs, Gavaskar said, “Well, he (Surya) was out first-ball 3 times. It’s very difficult to say what is going wrong. Yes, there were two good deliveries that Mitchell Starc bowled in the first 2 matches. Yes, he might have been a little too anxious.” 

Meanwhile, in absence of first-choice middle-order batters in Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant, both of whom are currently injured, Surya was tried at the number four spot, keeping one eye on the upcoming home World Cup as well. His numbers do not back him to for push for his case in the XI for the mega event, but Gavaskar feels all will depend on how he fares in the IPL and then in the Windies ODIs scheduled after. 

Gavaskar asked Surya to continue backing himself and churn out runs in his favourite format. He also added such things have happened to some of the great players in the past also.

“I mean, it depends on the kind of form that he shows in the IPL. There are few ODI matches as well in the West Indies etc. Depending on all those factors, you want to look at his place in the team,” Gavaskar added. 

“He has just got to understand that this can happen to the best of players and it has happened to the best of players. So, I think, all he has got to do now is focus, forget these 3 matches and focus on the IPL, get runs over there. Once he gets runs in the IPL, he will come back confident for the next one-day game,” the Indian legend added.

Meanwhile, Suryakumar is a key member of the Mumbai Indians setup, having won a few IPL titles with them. Mumbai start their IPL 2023 season against the Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 2nd.