Former Pakistani cricketer Basit Ali has stirred controversy with his bold assertion that Suryakumar Yadav should be preferred over Shreyas Iyer in India’s ODI team. Ali made this statement following Sri Lanka’s 2-0 series victory over the Rohit Sharma-led Indian side in their recent three-match ODI series.
Ali argued that India missed a player like Suryakumar during the series due to his exceptional ability to handle spin bowlers with techniques such as sweeps and reverse sweeps. In his latest YouTube video, he elaborated (from 7:16):
“While Shreyas Iyer has an impressive average of over 40, Suryakumar Yadav is 1000 times better. The team needed someone who could counter the spinners effectively. Suryakumar and Jaiswal would have tackled these spinners much more easily.”
Shreyas Iyer’s Struggles and Suryakumar Yadav’s Form
Shreyas Iyer had a disappointing series, scoring only 23 in the tied first ODI, and failing to improve in the subsequent matches with scores of seven and eight.
In contrast, Suryakumar Yadav led India to a 3-0 series win over Sri Lanka earlier in the tour and was in stellar form, earning the Player of the Series award with 92 runs from three innings.
Basit Ali’s Praise for Riyan Parag
Basit Ali also shared his thoughts on Riyan Parag, who made his ODI debut in the third match of the series on August 7. Ali expressed high hopes for the young all-rounder, calling him a future superstar:
“When Riyan Parag received his ODI cap from Virat Kohli, I felt that this guy is going to be a superstar. However, I was disappointed that he had to bat at No. 7. If you pick someone, you must give him a proper chance. His development would accelerate if he plays in challenging situations. If it were up to me, I would have sent him in at No. 4.”
Despite scoring only 15 runs in his debut, Parag performed well with the ball, taking 3 wickets for 54 runs in his 9-over spell.
As India reflects on their series loss and considers potential changes, Basit Ali’s comments add an intriguing perspective to the ongoing discussions about team selection and strategy.
