Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma expressed his support for batter Suryakumar Yadav, who is facing scrutiny due to a series of low scores in ODIs despite his exceptional performance in T20I cricket.

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Sharma emphasized that the dynamic batter will be granted more time to establish his form at the ODI level.

Although Suryakumar has become a sensation in T20I cricket and was recently awarded the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year for 2022, he has yet to replicate his success in 50-over matches.

In 23 ODI appearances, Suryakumar has only passed 50 twice and reached double figures just three times in his last ten innings.

The 32-year-old has contrasting statistics in both formats: he has excelled in T20Is, accumulating 1,675 runs in 46 innings across 48 matches with an average of 46.52, including three centuries and 13 fifties.

However, in ODIs, he has played 22 matches and scored only 433 runs at an average of 25.47 across 20 innings, with just two fifties.

Suryakumar’s form has deteriorated further during India’s ongoing three-match ODI series against Australia, where he was dismissed for a golden duck in the first two matches by experienced left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc.

Despite acknowledging Suryakumar’s struggles, Sharma assured that the aggressive right-handed batter will receive more opportunities to regain his form.

Sharma stated that Suryakumar needs a consistent run of 7-8 or 10 consecutive games to feel more comfortable and that the team management will only evaluate his performance after giving him a consistent run.

For now, with Shreyas Iyer injured, Suryakumar will continue to compete with fellow batters Sanju Samson and KL Rahul for a place in the playing XI.

The third and final ODI between India and Australia will take place in Chennai on Wednesday, with the winner claiming the series 2-1 and securing a psychological advantage ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup later this year.

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