'Don't care whom he replaces, he has to play all matches': Harbhajan names 'ace of spades' in India's World Cup squad

Harbhajan hailed the star batter as an "ace of spade" in India's WC squad and opined that his name should be written first in the team sheet and then the rest.

Team India scripted a stellar win on Sunday in the rain-affected game in Indore against Australia, beating the Pat Cummins-less side by 99 runs on DLS method. But more than the win, the cynosure of the match turned out to be the selection headache it has caused to the team management with about 10 days left for the start of India's World Cup campaign at home.

Harbhajan Singh has a World Cup message for Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid(File)

The top-order is set and so is the bowling line-up, but the part that has caused a selection dilemma pertains to the middle-order with four players fighting two spots - No. 4 and 5. Shreyas Iyer's struggle with back injury caused doubts on whether it would be a good choice to keep him in the World Cup after ge suffered from a spasm during the Asia Cup, just days after returning from a long injury layoff. But the star batted ended all the talks with a stunning century against Australia in the 2nd ODI. In the same match, Suryakumar Yadav, who has long struggled to emulate his T20 batting prowess in the 50-over format, finally seemed to have found his rhythm as he scored his second consecutive fifty en route to a career-best score. And then there is Ishan Kishan, a left-handed wicketkeeper-batter, who has been in discussions since his magnificent 82 in the rain-washed out Pakistan match in Asia Cup and KL Rahul, who has been a sublime form as well, having scored another fifty for India in Indore.

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While former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh did not dwell straight into the middle-order selection dilemma, he did back Suryakumar's selection in the playing XI for the World Cup team at any cost. Speaking on his YouTube channel ahead of India's third and final ODI against Australia in Rajkot, Harbhajan hailed the star batter as an "ace of spade" in India's World Cup squad and opined that his name should be written first in the team sheet and then the rest.

"Surykaumar Yadav has to play all the matches. I don't care whom he replaces, but his name should be taken first and then the rest. You have a player who is a pure match winner and can single-handedly make the game one-sided. He is the ace of spades. We have have been taking about a finisher...he is the one. He has to play at No. 5 for India," he said.

With Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who were rested for the first two matches of the Australia series, returning for the final tie on Wednesday, it will be worth noticing what the batting line-up will be for India in Rajkot.