"Only Certain Players Get Protection": Ex India Star's Hard-Hitting Comment On Suryakumar Yadav Getting Repeated Chances

24.03.2023 - 06:53 sports.ndtv.com

Known as a 360-degree player for his ability to play all around the ground, Suryakumar Yadav registered his third consecutive golden duck on Wednesday in the third and final ODI against Australia.

Suryakumar, who is currently the no. 1 batter in T20I rankings, was bowled first ball by Ashton Agar in the 36th over during India's 270-run chase in Chennai.

Suryakumar's struggles in the series has led to heavy criticism from the experts, with some of them even questioning his place in India's ODI team.

As far as his record in ODI cricket is concerned, Suryakumar has scored just 433 runs in 21 innings, averaging just over 24.

cricket Australia Cricket Team India Cricket Team on Rohit Sharma Suryakumar Yadav Australia India Chennai

He might be going through a lean patch in the ongoing Indian Premier League but Suryakumar Yadav continued to top the ICC Men's T20I Batter Rankings released on Wednesday. Suryakumar is leading the chart with 906 rating points ahead of Pakistan duo of Mohammed Rizwan (811 points) and skipper Babar Azam (755), South Africa's Aiden Markram (748) and Devon Conway of New Zealand (745). Virat Kohli remained static at the 15th spot.

"Give Yourself Little Bit...": Ravi Shastri's Advice To Off-Colour Suryakumar Yadav

It seemed at one point that Suryakumar Yadav is a man on a mission after breaking into the Indian team back in 2021. However, Suryakumar, who is the no.1 T20I batter, is been going through a lean patch with the bat. Known for his innovative stroke-making and counter-attacking cricket, Suryakumar has even struggled to touch the ball, getting out on three consecutive golden ball ducks during the recently-concluded India vs Australia ODI series. His struggles have continued in Mumbai Indians' first two games of IPL 2023.

Watch: Suryakumar Yadav Hit Above Eye While Attempting Catch, Screams In Pain During DC vs MI Match In IPL 2023

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 game between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals saw several turns. David Warner and Axar Patel scored contrasting half-centuries, however, the DC side lost wickets in heaps as they were all out for 172 in 19.4 overs. For MI, Piyush Chawla and Jason Behrendorff took three wickets each. The match also saw Suryakumar Yadav suffer a freak injury. It happened in the 17th over, when Axar hit Behrendorff over long-on. Suryakumar tried to catch the ball and was hit above his eye. The physio arrived immediately and then he could be sitting out of the field.

"There Are Two PCs, One Is Priyanka Chopra, Other Is...": Ravi Shastri's Hilarious Comment While Lauding India Star

The Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians faced the David Warner-led Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 on Tuesday. After opting to bowl first, the MI bowlers kept striking at regular intervals with DC batters feeling the heat. The veteran spinner Piyush Chawla was the pick of the MI bowlers as he took 3/22 and his scalps included those of Manish Pandey, Rovman Powell and Lalit Yadav. Lauding him, former India coach Ravi Shastri made a hilarious comment while doing commentary on Star Sports. "We used to say there are only two PCs, one is Piyush Chawla and the other Priyanka Chopra," he said.

Mumbai Indians Predicted XI vs Delhi Capitals, IPL 2023: Will MI Drop Cameron Green?

Despite having star players in the squad, Mumbai Indians have suffered two consecutive defeats in IPL 2023. They will be expecting a lot more from their local talent as they search for their maiden victory of the season during the match against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitely Stadium on Tuesday. It is extremely difficult to gain consistency in the highly competitive league if the Indian players are not delivering and that is what is plaguing Mumbai.

Watch: MS Dhoni Takes Out Time For Under-Fire Suryakumar Yadav, Wins Fans' Hearts

The name MS Dhoni hasn't only won respect all over the globe for his cricketing credentials but also for the man who slots behind this name. Over the years, Dhoni has done some phenomenal things on the field. But, equally importantly, his gestures for teammates and budding cricketers have earned him the status of a legend. After the match against Mumbai Indians, Dhoni won fans' hearts with his gesture towards the under-fire Suryakumar Yadav. The CSK skipper took out time for the MI batter and had a lengthy chat with him, quite possibly over his struggles with the bat.