Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh feels that Suryakumar Yadav will be India’s secret weapon at the ODI World Cup in 2023 and believes that the Mumbai-born batter has the potential to win the championship for the team on home soil after 12 long years.
Suryakumar Yadav can take the game away from the opponents in a quick time and showcased his skillset against Australia. The Indian team management has handed Suryakumar Yadav the new role of the finisher at the No.6 spot in the ODI team after his poor performance at the No.4 spot and would look to make an impact for the team in the forthcoming ODI World Cup.
Speaking to India Today, Harbhajan Singh feels that Suryakumar Yadav offers an X-factor in the team and reckons that he would have him in the playing 11 for every game, as he can make a difference for the team batting lower-down the order.
“Looking forward to Suryakumar Yadav. He is an X-factor. If he gets going, he won’t just win you the match, but he will win you the tournament. If I were a selector, I would have SKY as the second player in my team after the captain. Hardik Pandya is as good as anyone when it comes to hitting the ball and playing the normal game. I would play SKY if I were part of the team management. Who knows if they will play him or not?” Harbhajan Singh said.
The management of the Indian team is in a position where there are many great hitters to select from, which is advantageous but will force them to make some difficult choices. In the middle order, the current group of players—Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, and Suryakumar Yadav—have all proven their worth.
We Need A Player Like Suryakumar Yadav To Play – Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh hailed the Indian 360-degree batter for his captivating batting style in the white-ball version of the game. The 2011 World Cup winner also compares Suryakumar Yadav to the legendary South African captain Ab de Villiers, who is known for taking the game away from the opponents in the blink of an eye and backs Shubman Gill to perform well for the team in the upcoming event.
“I don’t know what it is about him (Suryakumar Yadav). Today, I would be frightened bowling to him but not when I was at my peak. He reminds me of AB de Villiers. We need a player like him to play. Even if flops, I would still play him for the remaining matches. And another player I want to speak about is Shubman Gill; he has the chance to do something when he could be remembered forever,” Harbhajan Singh Concluded.
The 32-year-old is considered one of the most innovative and naturally gifted batters in the world as he redefined the shorter format of the game in recent years, and can take the game away from the opponents in a short period and could be crucial for the Men in Blue in important games in World Cup.