Mumbai Indian’s (MI) batting Coach, Kieron Pollard expressed his opinion on Suryakumar Yadav’s dipping form, Pollard said ace Indian batter form is not a concern for MI, while 5 times champion side lost their opening game in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
Whereas in the first game of IPL 2023 for Rohit Sharma-led side, Surya carried on his international cricket poor form, he was dismissed for 15 runs as MI managed 171 runs, which RCB chased down easily with 8 wickets in hand and 22 balls remaining.
Kieron Pollard wants MI batter including Suryakumar Yadav to fire-
“I believe all batters have to fire. I do not think we should not single out any individual. Cricket is played with eleven players, and again, the tournament has just started so everyone is just looking to start (on a) high note.
“Yes we did not get off to a great start as a batting unit, but in the end, we managed a decent total in Bangalore. Let us see what happens since we are back at Wankhede,” said the Ex-MI star all-rounder.
In RCB vs MI, Faf du Plessis-led RCB won the toss and opted to bowl first, Rohit Sharma-led MI batted first and posted a total of 171 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs, MI youngster Tilak Verma scored brilliant 84 runs in 46 balls for his side.
That's a biggie! ??
Watch how Michael Bracewell got Suryakumar Yadav OUT after conceding a four ?#TATAIPL | #RCBvMI pic.twitter.com/SBdNGBlhuK
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 2, 2023
“We have no concerns about Surya’s form, again. I believe you guys make more of it than we do sometimes within the team setup,”
“People have bad days and that is unfortunate as cricketers our bad days are highlighted and we keep speaking on and on about it rather than trying to look at the positive or what he has done over the past 18 months or so in cricket as an individual,” he further added.
While, in the recently concluded ODI series against Australia, the 32-year-old batter was dismissed for three consecutive ducks.
“We do it on a day-by-day basis and the way he is striking the ball, the way he is training we have got confidence that he will do justice to his talent and we will continue to back him,” said Pollard on SKY.
Surya in the recently-concluded Australian series was not impressive in both the Test and limited-overs formats. The Mumbaikar was handed the spot in the longer format of the game after his impressive performance in T20Is. However, he failed in his debut Test at Nagpur, later he was replaced by Shreyas Iyer for the rest of the three Tests matches. Yadav was bowled after scoring 8 runs by Nathan Lyon in the first game of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2023.
Whereas, for their first home game of IPL 2023, MI vs CSK, the Rohit Sharma-led side will take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, on April 8.