India’s long-standing conundrum over the number 4 position in ODI cricket did find a solution in the India-West Indies ODI series when Shreyas Iyer looked convincing in the role. However, the sample size was extremely small and the management would hope, the young man keeps churning out scores on a consistent basis. Experience off-spinner Harbhajan Singh shared a picture of Suryakumar Yadav, the Mumbai batsman, who has been a prolific run-scorer in domestic cricket with the caption: “Don’t know why he doesn’t get picked for India after scoring runs heavily in domestic cricket @surya_14kumar keep working hard.. your time will come.”
Don’t know why he doesn’t get picked for india after scoring runs heavily in domestic cricket @surya_14kumar keep working hard.. your time will come pic.twitter.com/XO6xXtaAxC
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) September 29, 2019
Soon after this Tweet was posted, former India batsman Yuvraj Singh replied in a rather, tongue-in-cheek manner, saying that the Indian did not need a number 4 batsman since the top order was very strong.
Yaar I told you ! They don’t need a no 4 top order is very strong ?
— yuvraj singh (@YUVSTRONG12) September 30, 2019
This was not the first time Yuvraj has used these words. Earlier this month, Yuvraj uttered the same words when Harbhajan Singh suggested giving Sanju Samson a chance at No. 4 in One Day Internationals.
“Why not @IamSanjuSamson at number 4 in odi.. with good technique and good head on his shoulders.. well played today anyways against SA A,” Harbhajan Singh had tweeted earlier this month.
Why not @IamSanjuSamson at number 4 in odi.. with good technique and good head on his shoulders.. well played today anyways against SA A
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) September 6, 2019
Replying to the off-spinner’s tweet, Yuvraj wrote, “Top order is very strong bro they don’t need no 4 batsman”.
Top order is very strong bro they don’t need no 4 batsman ?
— yuvraj singh (@YUVSTRONG12) September 6, 2019
However, Shreyas Iyer was impressive in West Indies and this led to captain Virat Kohli showering praise on the young man.
“He understood the value of performing in these situations,” Kohli said after India’s win in Port of Spain.
“It will only boost his confidence further. I was exactly the same when I came in – any opportunity I got I wanted to win games for my team and play according to the situation and you have to take risks. He was brave under pressure. You need to reveal your game to realise who you are, what your game is and what kind of a player you are,” Kohli further added.
