India remain in experimental mode as they continue to look for a few answers before they finalise their 15-member squad for the 2022 T20 World Cup and the ongoing West Indies series provide Rohit Sharma and the Indian team management a perfect opportunity. However, the experiment of opening with Suryakumar Yadav hasn't gone down well with many experts of the game, among them being former India captain and ex-chief selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth, who was left furious with the India skipper over the decision.
Suryakumar opened in both the matches of the T20I series against West Indies. He laced three boundaries and a six en route to his 16-ball 24 in the series opener and managed only 11 off 6 in the second match, comprising a solitary maximum.
Speaking to Fan Code ahead of the start of the second match in St Kitts on Monday, Srikkanth issued a stern warning to Rohit over his strategy of using Suryakumar as the opener in the series, opining that a World Cup certainty could lose his confidence after a couple of failures which India cannot afford.
“Suryakumar Yadav is a brilliant player at No.4. He should be batting at No.4 in the T20 World Cup. So why do you want to make him open. If you want someone to open, drop Shreyas Iyer and pick Ishan Kishan instead. What I am trying to say is simple...don't spoil the cricketer like Suryakumar Yadav. Please don't do that. I will tell you what will, after a couple of failures he will lose his confidence. Cricket is a confidence game,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“Suryakumar Yadav is a brilliant player at No.4. He should be batting at No.4 in the T20 World Cup. So why do you want to make him open. If you want someone to open, drop Shreyas Iyer and pick Ishan Kishan instead. What I am trying to say is simple...don't spoil the cricketer like Suryakumar Yadav. Please don't do that. I will tell you what will, after a couple of failures he will lose his confidence. Cricket is a confidence game,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, during the series opener, former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif had admitted that he was left confused over the decision to open with Suryakumar in the series when India had opted for Rishabh Pant as an opener in the England series and also has Ishan Kishan waiting in the dug out.
“Whatever it was, I completely failed to understand it. You ought to have used Rishabh Pant today if you were planning to use him as the opener for a couple of games. Give him five chances at least. In addition, Rohit Sharma, the captain, and Rahul Dravid, the coach, support the players for at least 5–6 games,” he had said on Fan Code.