'...it is our job': Rohit Sharma puts up passionate defence of Suryakumar Yadav amid T20 star's ODI woes

Suryakumar Yadav gave a reminder of his abilities in the third T20Is but the star batter continues to struggle to find his form in ODIs.

Suryakumar Yadav gave a reminder of just how destructively good he can be on his day during India's third T20I against the West Indies. Fighting to avoid a first series defeat to the West Indies since 2016, India had lost both their openers within the first five overs while chasing a target of 160.

Rohit has said Suryakumar is the kind of player who needs to be given many chances.

However, Suryakumar and Tilak Varma made it look like the bowlers had done no damage at all towards the end of that powerplay with India's score standing at 60/2 at that point. While it was Varma who played destroyer-in-chief in that period, scoring 15 off just six balls, he took a back seat as SKY went after the bowlers in the middle overs. He was dismissed on 84 off 44 and India eventually won the match by seven wickets.

The Indian taem management has been hoping to see this version of SKY in ODI cricket this year, especially with the World Cup coming later in 2023. However, Suryakumar has struggled to adapt in any position in the middle order in the 50-over format. Captain Rohit Sharma, however, has said that his innings in the third T20I shows why it is important to give a player like Suryakumar extra chances.

“There is no question about his ability in the T20 format. The challenges (in ODIs) are different. He is really working hard and he is talking to a lot of guys who have played a lot of ODI cricket as to what attitude and mindset (to have)," Rohit said at a promotional event.

‘Have to give him that freedom’

Rohit pointed out the fact that SKY didn't make a great start to the IPL this year playing for the Mumbai Indians. Despite that, he ended with a tally of 605 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of a whopping 181.13 and average of 43.21.

"He is the kind of player, you also have to give him that freedom to go and bat the way he does. You cannot tell him to face 100 balls and make 50 runs. It is important to give a batter like him the cushion of extra games so that he finds that groove, gets that confidence. The way he started IPL this year, in the first 4-5 games he did not have too many runs but look what he did after that."

“For a player like him, it is our job to create such a situation and scenario — it’s okay if you don’t do well in 2-3 games, but when you come off, we know you will win games straightaway. That is what he did in the third T20I, the batters at the top got out, and for Surya to go and bat like that… .”

Suryakumar's ODI stats stand in sharp contrast to his T20I record. In 26 ODIs, SKY has boasted an impressive strike rate of 101.38 but has scored just 511 runs at an average of 24.33 with two half centuries to go. On the other hand, he has scored 1780 runs in 51 T20I matches at an eye-watering strike rate of 174.33 and average of 45.63. He has scored 14 half centuries and three centuries.