Former Indian opener, Wasim Jaffer, believes that Suryakumar Yadav’s struggles in ODIs may be due to a mindset issue. Despite being a T20I powerhouse, with 1578 runs in 45 matches at an average of 46.41 and a strike rate of 180.34, Suryakumar’s ODI average stands at a mere 28.86. Jaffer suggests that the aggressive batter needs to adjust his mindset and take fewer risks in the ODI format.
Jaffer said during a discussion on ESPNcricinfo, “It is very baffling. I can understand why it happened. In Suryakumar Yadav’s head, he is playing in T20 mode. As the game gets shorter, you need to be more willing to take risks. He’s used to that, and his batting has always been like that. In the 50-over format, you don’t need to take that many risks.”
Despite his recent failures, Jaffer is confident that Suryakumar Yadav will reflect on his mistakes and come back stronger in the ODI format. He believes that the time off will help him to improve and excel in this format as well. However, his average in ODIs stands at a mere 28.86 after 20 games. On Tuesday, he was dismissed for 14 off 9. Suryakumar slammed two sixes but failed to convert his start.
Will Suryakumar be able to adjust his mindset and make a comeback in the ODI format? Only time will tell.