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After Sunil Gavaskar, Wasim Jaffer became the second ex-India cricketer to launch a brutal attack on struggling Suryakumar Yadav following his disastrous outings against Australia in the ongoing three-match ODI series.
Wasim Jaffer even demanded Suryakumar Yadav's exclusion from India's playing XI in the third ODI and that Sanju Samson be given an opportunity in his place instead.
“We might sympathize with Suryakumar Yadav as the first ball that he faced was of 145 clicks. No doubt that it's challenging when a left-arm seamer tries to bring the ball back in. Again, he should have anticipated that when Mitchell Starc bowls, he will attack the stumps and might swing the ball,” Wasim Jaffer said on ESPNCricinfo.
“We have to see if the management sticks with him in the third ODI otherwise it's not a bad option to give Sanju Samson a chance because he has played well when given the opportunity and he is a good player,” Wasim Jaffer added.
“It was a disappointing performance. The first ODI also saw a collapse, but KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja rescued India. But it wasn't to be in this game. There was a prediction of moisture due to rains; however, it didn't look like it. Except for the one that got KL Rahul, which was a difficult ball as it's not easy to play a ball coming in so fast. Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma played poor shots. Suryakumar Yadav also got a good ball. Other than that, it was an ordinary batting performance. I wouldn't say the pitch or bowling got those wickets. Virat Kohli got set and missed a straight delivery. Except for Rahul, no batter perished to an outstanding delivery. So, it's a massive win for Australia,” Jaffer noted.
Wasim Jaffer's critical comments came after Suryakumar Yadav, on Sunday, created an unwanted record as he became the first Team India player to get out on a golden duck in back-to-back One-Day Internationals (ODIs).
The explosive batter's bizarre feat came against Australia in the second ODI of the three-match series in Visakhapatnam after Mitchell Starc scalped his wicket on the first ball Suryakumar Yadav faced from the left-arm pacer. Also, it is worth noting that Starc sent Suryakumar Yadav packing in the first game in Mumbai.
Unlike the T20Is, where he is the No.1 batter in the world, Suryakumar Yadav has failed to make much of an impact, having collected 433 runs at an under-par average of 25.47, with two fifties in ODIs. His highest score of 64 in ODIs came a year ago, in February 2022.
Suryakumar Yadav has contrasting stats in T20Is and ODIs. In T20Is, Suryakumar Yadav has become the backbone of India's batting, and the 32-year-old dasher became the first Indian batter to score over a thousand runs in a calendar year in T20Is, in 2022. On the other hand, he's yet to cement his place in the 50-over format, forget winning matches.
Wasim Jaffer isn't the first cricketer to lambast Suryakumar Yadav for his problems against the left-arm pace bowling of Mitchell Starc.
Previously, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar slammed Suryakumar Yadav for having a technical fault, the main reason behind his twin golden ducks against Australia.
“He is facing technical difficulties. Also his stance is an open one. It is good for T20 cricket because any delivery that is overpitched, he can flick it for a six. But here, when the ball is placed right near the foot, with this stance, the bat will definitely come across. It cannot come straight. Hence, if the ball turns inside, he will face difficulty. He needs to spend time with the batting coach on how to come out of this,” Sunil Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
However, Rohit Sharma backed Suryakumar Yadav to come good in the ODIs before adding the middle-order batter would be given a long rope to prove his credentials in the 50-over format.
“We don't know about (Shreyas) Iyer's return. At this time there is a spot available so we have to play him (Suryakumar). He has obviously shown a lot of potential with white ball and I have said it many times before (that) guys with potential will be given some run,” Rohit Sharma elaborated.
“Of course, he knows that he needs to do while in a slightly longer format of the game as well. I think things are there in his mind as well. Like I said, guys with potential will have enough run where you know they should not feel that ‘Okay, You know I wasn't given enough chances in that particular slot',” he argued.
“Yes he got out in the last two games and the series before that as well, but he needs that consistent run, like back-to-back games, 7-8 or 10 games like that so that, you know, he feels more comfortable.”
“Right now, he has got in the place when someone's been injured or someone's not available. As management we can look into the performance when you give that consistent run and then you feel that okay, the runs are not coming and (he's) not looking comfortable. Then, we will start thinking about it. Right now, we have not gone that route,” Rohit Sharma explained.
On the other hand, Team India veteran Dinesh Karthik opined that Suryakumar Yadav should be tried at the No.6 position instead of No.4, given that he has tasted immense success there in T20Is.
“He would have gotten out on those two deliveries even in T20s. It is not that because it is ODIs, he is getting out. This is high-quality bowling irrespective of the format. He played the two ODIs now and prior to that he didn't play consistently. Shreyas Iyer was the preferred No.4 and rightfully so and Surya was the back-up option. Where we need to be with Surya is remind ourselves of the talent he is,” Dinesh Karthik said in a discussion on a cricket website.
“What I like to see is can they fit in Surya at a different place to get the best out of him. I feel, Hardik enjoys batting up top so is there a possibility of sending him at No.4 and Surya at six. It is so because when you give him 15-18 overs, the way he is able to turn the game on its head is very very good. And irrespective of whether there are 5 or 4 fielders inside the circle he is able to hit boundaries at will and make a mockery out of the captain. When you give Surya lesser overs, 14-18 overs, he is at his venomous best. Suryakumar in ODIs is a non-negotiable.”