According to Dravid, Suryakumar Yadav is familiarizing himself with the 50-over format, and the team should exercise patience with him.
Dravid believes India has shortlisted a pool of “17-18 players” for the upcoming ODI World Cup, irrespective of the outcome of the Wednesday bilateral series decider against Australia at Chepauk. With the conclusion of the third match against Australia, India will not play any more ODIs until the Caribbean tour in August and only three more ODI games in India prior to the commencement of the World Cup.
During a press conference, Rahul stated, “We have a fair idea of the squad and the players we want, to a great extent. We have almost finalized a pool of 17-18 players. Some individuals recuperating from injuries might be included, depending on their recovery timeline and how soon they return to action.”
“To sum it up, we are in a favorable position and have a solid understanding of the team we wish to field. We aim to provide the selected players ample playing chances, preferably in India. However, even if that’s impossible, we prioritize giving them maximum exposure to develop a strong team.”
Dravid indicated that the team management is willing to experiment with various combinations and follow a horses-for-course approach, even during the World Cup in October-November. Although the course in Chennai on Wednesday is anticipated to favor spin, the spin duo for India remains unpredictable, with Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Washington Sundar all in the running.
Rahul Dravid mentioned that they have a few different combinations they wish to experiment with among their 15-16 players. He added that the World Cup is a significant event that will take place over a long period across nine different cities with varying conditions in India. Therefore, the team desires flexibility in their squad to allow them to field four fast bowlers or three spinners as required. The team management intends to explore different alternatives within the crew to ensure that they are prepared for all circumstances.
“Regardless of the outcome of tomorrow’s game, we have gained substantial clarity after these nine matches,” RaDravid stated. “Our focus is now on strengthening that clarity further. We have a clear understanding of the squad we require. At this point, we focus on experimenting with various playing XI combinations to ensure that we are prepared for any situation during the World Cup and not taken aback by unforeseen circumstances.”
Dravid is relaxed about Suryakumar.
Dravid dismissed any apprehensions regarding Suryakumar Yadav’s recent form, as he was dismissed for a duck in the first two ODIs against Australia and only has an average of 25.47 in 20 innings in ODI cricket. Dravid explained that Suryakumar was still acclimatizing to the pace of 50-over cricket and expressed confidence that he would improve with time.
On November 6, 2022, at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Rahul Dravid can be seen shaking hands with Suryakumar Yadav during the ICC men’s Twenty20 World Cup 2022 cricket match between India and Zimbabwe.
According to Dravid, there isn’t much cause for concern regarding Suryakumar. “He was dismissed by two exceptional deliveries in the first two ODIs,” Dravid stated. “Suryakumar is still getting accustomed to the 50-over format since the T20 game is slightly different.
Despite not playing for India for a considerable time, Suryakumar Yadav has played nearly a decade of IPL T20 cricket, comparable to international cricket, according to Dravid. However, the 50-over format differs, and domestic cricket has no equivalent high-pressure tournament like the IPL. Dravid acknowledged that Suryakumar is still adjusting to the tempo of ODI cricket and urged the team to be patient with him as he gains more experience. He also highlighted the potential benefits for the team if Suryakumar performs well.