There remains a big debate over Suryakumar Yadav’s place in the Indian ODI team. The batter is widely considered No. 1 in the T20I format but he is some distance away from realising his potential in the 50-over format. Though the Indian team remains buoyant over the long-term plans involving Suryakumar as India’s No. 4 batter, the Mumbai Indians star still needs to fire and replay the faith shown in him by the team. As the clock for the ODI World Cup squad selection keeping ticking, former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief selector MSK Prasad feels Surya will definitely be a part f the mega event.
“I am 100 percent sure that Suryakumar will go to the World Cup. If someone can be a No. 1 player in the T20 format, it means he has special talent which we have seen in the T20Is that he has played for the country and in the IPL. We know about his ability to soak in pressure,” MSK Prasad told India Today.
“I personally feel that he has still not got hold of his role in the team. If he gets hold of his role and plays accordingly, I am sure he will be one of the biggest match-winners and the best finisher for India in the World Cup. He has got the ability and we need to back him,” Prasad said.
Prasad is happy that Suryakumar has gotten the clarity he needed over his role in the One-day team from skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid.
“What Rohit and Dravid have now done is fantastic, probably they have given him role clarity. That will definitely help him because that (the finisher’s role) is the situation he enjoys the most. I am sure that would be a huge relief to Suryakumar and he can also start planning accordingly,” he asserted.