“He knows he needs to do well” - Rohit Sharma opens up on Suryakumar Yadav’s ODI struggles

Team India captain Rohit Sharma reckons batter Suryakumar Yadav is aware that he needs to do well to keep his place in the one-day team. Rohit added that the team management will keep backing Yadav in te injured Shreyas Iyer’s absence.

Suryakumar was dismissed for golden ducks in both ODIs of the ongoing series against Australia. The 32-year-old was out in similar fashion in both games, trapped lbw by in-swinging deliveries from left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc.

The Mumbai batter, who has an exceptional T20I record, has failed to replicate that form in the 50-over format. After 22 ODIs, he has a tally of 433 runs at a modest average of 25.47 and strike rate of 102.36, with two half-centuries.

While Suryakumar registered his second duck of the series, India succumbed to their worst defeat in terms of balls remaining (234), getting bundled out for 117 in the second ODI in Visakhapatnam.

Speaking after the demoralising defeat, Rohit shared his thoughts on Suryakumar’s one-day struggles:

“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 continued:

“Of course, he knows that he needs to do well in a slightly longer format of the game as well. He added, “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’.”

The captain added that Suryakumar too would get a consistent run in ODIs so that the management can ascertain what he has to offer in the format. Backing the struggling batter, the 35-year-old said:

“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.”

Virat Kohli top-scored with 31 in the second ODI, while Axar Patel remained unbeaten on 29. For Australia, Starc claimed 5-53.

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“The guys and the team are very much used to it” - Rohit Sharma on Jasprit Bumrah’s absence

During the aforementioned interaction, Rohit also opened up on the impact of lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah’s absence due to injury.

While admitting that Bumrah is a quality bowler, the Indian captain said that the team has got used to playing without him:

“Bumrah has been absent for more than eight months now; the guys and the team are very much used to it. It is very hard to fill Bumrah’s shoes. We all know that he is a quality bowler, but now that he has not been available for us.

"Let’s not just keep thinking about that. We have to move ahead and guys have taken the responsibility pretty well. (Mohammad ) Siraj, (Mohammed) Shami, Shardul (Thakur), we have got Umran Malik and Jaydev (Unadkat) as well.”

Bumrah last turned out for India during a T20I against Australia in Hyderabad in September 2022.