Former India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav made an honest confession about not being able to make it big in the ODI format despite dominating in T20 cricket. Surya, who led India to T20 World Cup glory earlier this year, struggled to cement his place in the 50-over side and managed only 37 ODIs, scoring 773 runs at an average of 25.76. His last ODI appearance came in the 2023 World Cup final against Australia, after which he has been out of the national setup. Despite his success in T20 cricket, where he has established himself as one of India’s most explosive batters, Surya’s ODI career never reached the heights many expected.
Suryakumar admitted that while he could look back and wonder how his ODI career might have unfolded had he entered the Indian team earlier, he has no excuses for how it eventually panned out. The former India captain admitted he was disappointed with himself and felt he had not put in the required effort to succeed in the 50-over format.
“Hypothetically, we can say anything – that if I had come into the team in 2016, I could have played Tests and probably done well in ODIs too. But the reality is that I played only one Test and one innings. After that, the other players came back and started playing again, so it didn’t happen. But definitely, I am disappointed with myself when it comes to ODI cricket.
“It was a white-ball format, just like T20s, but to be very honest, I personally feel I did not put in as much effort as I should have for that format,” Suryakumar Yadav said on Aakash Chopra’s YouTube channel.
Also Read – Ajinkya Rahane explains what makes Manav Suthar special: ‘Can do well in any condition’
Suryakumar also explained why he considers ODI cricket the toughest format for a batter, with the game demanding a completely different approach depending on the situation. He pointed out how quickly a batter can find himself under pressure in the middle order and stressed the need to adapt, starting cautiously before gradually shifting gears as the innings progresses.
“I feel ODI cricket is probably the most difficult format to play as a batter, whether you are batting lower down the order or anywhere else. You can be two down for zero if you are batting at No. 4, or four down for 24 if you are batting at No. 6. Anything can happen. You have to bat almost like you do in a Test match. You see off the bowlers initially, give them respect and slowly build your innings. You may bat at a strike rate of 50 or sometimes 75, then take it to 100 and eventually finish at 130 or 140, much like you do in T20 cricket,” he added.
“Could not crack how to approach that format”: Suryakumar Yadav
He did not shy away from taking responsibility for his failure to establish himself in ODI cricket, admitting that he never fully understood how to approach the format.
“Personally, I feel I could not crack how to approach that format. I knew I was probably going to bat at No. 5 or 6, but even then, I did not work hard enough to understand the format. By the time I could blink, those 20-25 games had gone. I don’t even know when it happened or how it went by. And yes, I definitely regret not playing more ODI cricket. I wonder why I could not do better in that format. But no one is to blame. I take the blame myself because I did not put in the extra effort that I put in now when I play T20 cricket. If I bat for an hour, I will practise for an hour and a half,” he said.
