Asia Cup 2022: "This T20 team needs to revolve around Surya" - Rohan Gavaskar on Suryakumar Yadav's position in India's XI

Rohan Gavaskar believes the Indian batting needs to revolve around Suryakumar Yadav in the upcoming Asia Cup 2022 and the subsequent T20 World Cup.

The selectors have picked a 15-member Indian squad for the Asia Cup to be played in the UAE from August 27. The Men in Blue are spoilt for riches in the batting department and the team management will have a tough ask in finalizing their top six.

During a discussion on the Sports 18 show 'Sports Over the Top', Saba Karim opined that the Indian team will have to choose between Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik to slot Suryakumar at No. 4. To that, Rohan Gavaskar retorted:

"You said you can slot Surya at No. 4. I disagree there, Surya doesn't need to be slotted anywhere. I think this T20 team needs to revolve around Surya. You have got to figure out where is the best you can get out of him, is it at the top of the order, or No. 3 or No. 4, you put him there then."

Rohan Gavaskar was further asked if he would pick Pant at No. 4 considering that his T20I record is not great. He replied:

"There are certain slots in that batting order which might be non-negotiable in terms of Dinesh Karthik being a finisher towards the end, Rohit Sharma opening the batting. But everything else is up for grabs."

The former Indian all-rounder added that other than probably Karthik and Rohit Sharma, who have their fixed slots, the rest of the batters can be used as floaters, elaborating:

"As I said, Suryakumar Yadav can open, cat bat at No. 3 or No. 4. Rishabh Pant can also be a floater depending on how many overs are left when wickets fall. In T20 cricket, it's not so much about No. 3 or No. 4, it's about how many overs are left and you send players accordingly out there."

Suryakumar, Pant and Hardik Pandya can interchangeably be used between the No. 4 and No. 6 batting positions. The Indian think tank has preferred to use Pant at No. 4 to split the right-handers in their batting lineup.

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"He is a once-in-a-generation cricketer"- Rohan Gavaskar on Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant is the only left-hander in India's probable top six

Rohan Gavaskar was also asked about India not having a left-hander if they don't play Pant. He responded:

"Where Rishabh Pant is concerned, he is a once-in-a-generation cricketer. It doesn't matter if he is left-handed or right-handed, if you have got a player of that kind of match-winning ability, that kind of talent, you pick him, it's a no-brainer."

While Pant's match-winning ability is beyond doubt, he is yet to master the shortest format of the game. He might have to be a little more consistent to pip Karthik to the wicketkeeper-batter's spot in the Indian batting lineup.