 "'Play 45-50 balls..': Surya reveals Dravid, Rohit's advice for ODI cricket")
On Wednesday, the swashbuckling batter Suryakumar Yadav showed why he is the world's number-one batter in T20 Internationals. His 44-ball 83 helped India win the third T20 against West Indies to keep the series alive. But the talking point at the press conference after the match was his form in One Day Internationals (ODIs).
Suryakumar candidly responded to the questions about the ODI form and India's World Cup preparations.
Surya on his ODI form
"My ODI numbers are very poor and there is no shame in accepting that. Being honest is very important because everyone knows that, because we all talk about honesty. So it is very important to stay honest about your performance. But what is more important is how to improve that," Suryakumar said at the press meeting.
Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid's advice to Suryakumar for ODI cricket
Captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid have advised him to play the ODI format more.
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"Rohit and Rahul sir have told me that this is the format that I don't play much so you have to play it more and think about it. If you bat in the last 10-15 overs, consider what you can do for the team. All we want from you is to play 45-50 balls if you are getting to bat in the 15-18 overs, play your own game. It's in my hand now how to change the responsibility into an opportunity," he said.
Surya's performance in ODIs vs West Indies
Suryakumar Yadav could not make his presence felt in the ODI series against the Windies, managing scores of 19, 24 and 35 in the three matches.
Surya's performance in ODI career so far
So far, Suryakumar has played 26 ODIs and scored 511 runs at an average of 24.33, a far cry from his T20I average of 45.6.
In 2023, Suryakumar played 10 ODIs and scored an average of just 14 runs.
'You have to bat as per the situation in ODIs'
"We have played a lot of T20Is, so it has become a habit. We play T20 regularly; all we need to do is express ourselves. But we only play a few one-dayers, and ODI is the most challenging format. This is because you have to bat as per the situation. For example, if wickets fall early, then you need to spend time in the middle (play like Test cricket), then in the middle play run a ball and then towards the end approach it like a T20 game.
"Now what the team management has told me about that format, I am just trying to apply that in ODIs. Take some time, do as per the team's requirement and play my game towards the end. I will look to live up to the expectations of the team management and repay their faith.
"But the T20 format you are talking about, we play it regularly, we know the situation, we just have to go out and express ourselves."
Surya on Team India's preparation for ODI World Cup
Before the ODI World Cup, Suryakumar said the team has good number of matches lined up to help them prepare in the best possible way for the showpiece, which India is hosting.
"We have 7-8 games before the ODI World Cup. It's enough for a team to prepare. We also have a camp before that where all the players will gather. It's important to spend time together, understand strengths and weaknesses. We will try to win hopefully," he said.