India’s head coach, Rahul Dravid, has thrown his support behind middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav, who has faced criticism due to his recent ordinary form, just a day before the ODI series against Australia. Dravid addressed the scrutiny surrounding Yadav’s performances ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.

Suryakumar Yadav is currently the No.1 ranked batter in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I Batting Rankings, but he has struggled to replicate his T20 prowess in fifty-over cricket. After 27 ODIs, he has accumulated 537 runs at an average of 24.41, with a highest score of 64. Despite only two fifties in 25 innings and some notable dismissals in the 2023 Asia Cup, Yadav secured a place in the World Cup squad.

Rahul Dravid expressed his confidence in Yadav’s skills, stating,

“We’ve picked our team for the World Cup, and Surya is in it.”

Dravid emphasized the decision to back Yadav, highlighting his unique qualities and potential impact as a middle-order batter, even though his success has primarily been in T20 cricket.

Yadav has three ODIs against Australia before the World Cup to regain form, and Dravid expressed hope that he would seize this opportunity. Dravid mentioned that Yadav would have these games to continue developing and adapting as a one-day cricketer.

In the last ODI series against Australia earlier this year, Yadav faced a challenging time, being dismissed for a first-ball duck in each of the three matches. Whether Yadav can use the upcoming series against Australia to secure a spot in India’s crowded final starting XI for the World Cup remains to be seen.

Dravid emphasized that the team would use the series against Australia to position batters in roles they would play during the World Cup. He also mentioned Ishan Kishan as a player who could potentially play a dual role, highlighting the need for flexibility in the batting order to accommodate the best combination for the World Cup.