Tom Moody criticizes Suryakumar Yadav's inclusion in India's Squad, Advocates for Tilak Varma

Tom Moody Criticizes Suryakumar Yadav’s Inclusion in India’s World Cup Squad, Advocates for Tilak Varma. Once Suryakumar Yadav was chosen over Sanju Samson for India’s Asia Cup squad, it became evident that the team management favoured Yadav for their World Cup lineup. Indeed, Yadav secured a spot in India’s World Cup 15, while Samson, initially picked as a reserve for the Asia Cup, didn’t make the cut. Former Australian all-rounder Tom Moody disagreed with the selectors’ decision, suggesting that Yadav was “lucky” to be in the World Cup squad.

While Moody didn’t mention Samson as Yadav’s replacement, he argued that India should have selected Tilak Varma instead. Moody highlighted Varma’s left-handed batting and decent off-spin abilities, which would have provided additional options for captain Rohit Sharma. Moody emphasized that Varma’s inclusion would have offered flexibility to India’s middle-order, particularly in light of the Ishan Kishan discussion. He suggested that having both Varma and Yadav in the same side would enhance India’s adaptability, a quality Rohit Sharma frequently mentioned in press conferences.

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This isn’t the first time Moody has questioned Yadav’s selection, as he expressed similar sentiments when Yadav was chosen for India’s Asia Cup squad. Despite his remarkable T20I performances, Suryakumar Yadav’s ODI numbers are relatively modest, with an average of only 24.33 in the 26 ODIs he has played. Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes Yadav’s outstanding T20I performances made it nearly impossible for selectors to overlook him in ODIs.

Manjrekar noted that Suryakumar Yadav excels in T20 cricket on the big stage, suggesting that his ability to play quality T20 innings in high-pressure situations could prove invaluable in the World Cup. While Yadav’s international 50-over record is limited, India hopes that his temperament, experience, and ability to handle pressure will shine on the global stage, as highlighted by Rohit Sharma’s comments on the matter.

Indian Squad:

Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj.