"Remember you’ve got a little more time on your hands" - Ravi Shastri advises Suryakumar Yadav on overcoming ODI struggles

Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri emphasized that struggling ODI batter Suryakumar Yadav needs to give himself more time in the 50-over format while retaining the same approach as his T20 batting.

While Surya is the No.1 ranked batter in the world in T20Is, he has found the ODI format a mighty struggle. The 33-year-old has scored only 537 runs in 27 games at a dismal average of 24.40 with two half-centuries.

Despite his no-shows in ODIs, the Indian management believes the destructive batter is a potential match-winner and has selected him in the provisional 15-member World Cup squad.

Speaking to Fox Cricket, Shastri laid out the approach Suryakumar Yadav should follow in ODIs.

"If I were to speak to him, I’d tell him just keep it simple. Just remember you’ve got a little more time on your hands when it comes to 50-over cricket. You don’t have to change too much. You still keep it simple, like how you approach T20 cricket," said Shastri.

Shastri believes that by giving himself more time to find the right tempo, Surya could pull off victories on his own.

"In 50-over cricket, give yourself an extra five balls, you’re allowed to, but don’t change anything else. Keep that tempo going; there are other batsmen around you who can do the job. If you pull it off, play 40-50 balls, you might just win the game on your own," added Shastri.

Considering the side has rested several key players for the first two ODIs against Australia, Surya should get game time during the series to justify his selection for the World Cup. The Mumbai Indians (MI) star had a forgettable ODI series against the same opponent earlier in the year, recording a hattrick of golden ducks.

The first ODI of the India-Australia series starts in Mohali on Friday, October 22.

"Strongest India team since they won the World Cup in 2011" - Ravi Shastri

Rohit Sharma will hope to hold the trophy at the end of the 2023 World Cup.

Ravi Shastri stated that the current side is the strongest Indian team since the 2011 World Cup winning team and picked them as favorites to clinch the title on home soil in the upcoming tournament.

The Men in Blue have been ousted in the semifinals of the previous two World Cups in 2015 and 2019, following their triumphant run at home in 2011.

"They know the conditions, they know the terrain. To be honest, I think this is the strongest India team since they won the World Cup in 2011. I say that simply because this group has been playing with each other for five years. They’ve got youth in the form Shubman Gill and Kuldeep Yadav, and they’ve got experience with Rohit (Sharma), Virat (Kohli) and (Ravindra) Jadeja," said Shastri.

The former Indian captain also feels the Indians possess tremendous variety in their ranks, making them a heavyweight unit.

"It’s a very good unit. A lot of variety there, a lot of depth there. I see them ticking most of the boxes, going in as one of the strongest sides India has produced in the last ten years," added Shastri.

Team India have struggled in ICC tournaments, enduring a drought since winning the Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni in 2013. However, the side will hope that home conditions will assist them in winning their third ODI World Cup after 1983 and 2011.

Rohit Sharma's men will open their 2023 campaign against Australia in Chennai on October 8.