Former Indian Cricket Star Gives Candid Opinion: Why I Chose Suryakumar Yadav for My World Cup Team

Suryakumar Yadav failed to score big during the first ODI encounter between India and West Indies in Barbados and his dismissal has attracted criticism from several ex-cricketers. With the visitors chasing a modest target of 115, Suryakumar was promoted to No.3 to score some quick runs but he ended up gifting his wicket to Windies spinner Gudakesh Motie. The explosive batter played a couple of trademark shots before he was trapped LBW while trying to play a sweep shot. Former India opener Akash Chopra was disappointed with how Suryakumar was dismissed and in the latest video on his YouTube channelquestioned his decision to keep playing the same shot over and over again.

“Then came Suryakumar Yadav – that’s another question. This was an opportunity for him. I had kept Suryakumar Yadav in my World Cup team but for that, he will have to score runs,” Aakash said. “He was sent to bat at No.3 so that he goes and collects runs, and his name continues to remain in the audition.”

“He was batting decently, but the way he got out – he first hit a sweep which went for a four, another sweep and got beaten, another sweep and a leg-before appeal, and then another sweep and got out leg-before. These were four consecutive balls and not four separate events,” he added.

Left-arm spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja masterminded the rout of an abject West Indies team as India romped to a five-wicket victory with more than 27 overs to spare in the opening One-Day International of a three-match series at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Thursday.

Beaten 1-0 in the preceding two-Test series, the home team were brushed aside for just 114 off 23 overs after being put in as they appeared completely at sea in trying to cope especially with variations offered by Yadav’s wrist-spin.

(With AFP inputs)