India v Sri Lanka: No ODI guarantees for Suryakumar despite stunning T20I form

By Sports Desk January 09, 2023

Rohit Sharma put the onus on Suryakumar Yadav to bring his T20I form across to the 50-over format ahead of India's series against Sri Lanka.

India take on Sri Lanka in a three-match ODI series starting at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday.

It comes off the back of India beating their sub-continental rivals 2-1 in a T20I series that went down to the last match, which was decided by Suryakumar's superb unbeaten 112 from 51 deliveries.

Suryakumar is number one in the ICC T20I batting rankings, and Rohit is the only player to have scored more tons in the format than the 32-year-old.

However, Suryakumar's form in the shortest format does not guarantee him a place in India's 50-over side, especially with a World Cup looming.

"The problem happens when we start comparing different formats," Rohit told reporters.

"We have to look who has done well in ODI cricket for us, what situation they have done well in. They have been under pressure, and they have gone in, batted and scored runs.

"All those things you need to take into account before making that call.

"I do understand the form as well. Form is important, but the format is also important. The 50-over format is a different format, slightly longer than the T20 format, and the guys who have performed in ODIs will definitely get a run. We are very clear in what we want to do."

Suryakumar enjoyed a fine start to his ODI career but has tapered off, and in his past 10 matches he has averaged only 15 in the format.

He is likely to compete with Shreyas Iyer for a place in the side against Sri Lanka.

Iyer has scored 724 runs in men's ODIs since the beginning of 2022, the most by any batter in the period, while he averages 54 against Sri Lanka.

India will definitely be without star bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who has suffered a setback in his recovery from a back injury.

History on India's side

India have won five of their last six ODIs against Sri Lanka, although their only loss during this period came in the sides' most recent encounter on July 2021.

Sri Lanka have lost 93 times to India in the format, with New Zealand the only side to have lost more times to a single opponent (Australia – 95).

Rohit's happy hunting ground

India skipper Rohit scored an unbeaten 152 runs the last time India played in Guwahati (vs West Indies). Rohit struck eight sixes that day, the most by any player at this ground.

Related items

  • Strasbourg 1-1 Paris Saint-Germain: Messi strikes as PSG seal record-breaking Ligue 1 title Strasbourg 1-1 Paris Saint-Germain: Messi strikes as PSG seal record-breaking Ligue 1 title

    Lionel Messi was on target as Paris Saint-Germain sealed their record-breaking 11th Ligue 1 title, despite being held to a 1-1 draw at Strasbourg on Saturday.

    Messi, who will leave PSG when his contract expires at the end of the season, broke the deadlock with his 16th goal of the season just before the hour at Stade de la Meinau.

    Strasbourg substitute Kevin Gameiro thwarted Christophe Galtier's side with a 79th-minute leveller, but the point was enough for PSG to secure a successful Ligue 1 title defence with a match to spare.

    Strasbourg's top-flight status was also confirmed after the draw for Frederic Antonetti's hosts maintained their six-point cushion over 17th-placed Nantes, who failed to beat Lille.

  • Inter 3-2 Atalanta: Nerazzurri seal top-four finish after flying San Siro start Inter 3-2 Atalanta: Nerazzurri seal top-four finish after flying San Siro start

    Inter secured Champions League qualification in their penultimate game of the Serie A season, dealing a fatal blow to Atalanta's own top-four hopes with a 3-2 win at San Siro.

    The Nerazzurri – finalists in Europe's premier club competition this term – stormed into a two-goal lead within just two minutes and 49 seconds after Romelu Lukaku and Nicolo Barella were on target. 

    Atalanta needed a result to keep their slim hopes of a top-four finish alive, and they were handed a lifeline by Mario Pasalic before the interval on Saturday.

    Yet Inter added a deserved third through Lautaro Martinez after the break, proving Andre Onana's late own goal a mere Atalanta consolation, as the Nerazzurri moved eight points clear of their fifth-placed visitors.

    Lukaku only needed 39 seconds to put Inter ahead, timing his run from Martinez's throughball before rounding Marco Sportiello and tapping into an empty net.

    Atalanta found themselves further behind by the three-minute mark, Barella hammering a rebound into the roof of the net after Sportiello twice saved from Federico Dimarco.

    Hakan Calhanoglu was denied a third by the offside flag when he netted with a ferocious volley, before Andre Onana was forced into action by Rasmus Hojlund and Teun Koopmeiners.

    Atalanta halved the arrears nine minutes before half-time, Pasalic hooking a finish beyond Onana following a goalmouth scramble.

    Calhanoglu drew a flying save from Sportiello as Atalanta wilted after the interval, Inter managing the game in typically assured fashion.

    Martinez stretched Inter's lead further when Marcelo Brozovic teed up a tap-in 13 minutes from time, before Luis Muriel's powerful long-range strike deflected in off the unfortunate Onana as the Nerazzurri just held on for victory.

  • Sevilla 1-2 Real Madrid: Rodrygo powers Los Blancos to comeback win Sevilla 1-2 Real Madrid: Rodrygo powers Los Blancos to comeback win

    Rodrygo scored a deadly double as Real Madrid battled from behind to win 2-1 at 10-man Sevilla in LaLiga on Saturday.

    Carlo Ancelotti's side strengthened their grasp on second place in the league after recovering from an early setback to triumph at Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan.

    Rodrygo's free-kick cancelled out Rafa Mir's early opener in an entertaining first half in Andalusia, where Madrid played without their star duo of Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior.

    Rodrygo's second goal with just over 20 minutes remaining proved decisive before Marcos Acuna was dismissed as Madrid moved four points clear of rivals Atletico Madrid, who host Real Sociedad on Sunday.

    Mir fired Sevilla into a third-minute lead after reacting quickly to sweep into the top-left corner when Bryan Gil's initial effort ricocheted kindly into his path.

    Rodrygo spurned a glorious opportunity to equalise shortly after, dragging wide when unmarked from Lucas Vazquez's low cross – but the Madrid winger soon made amends.

    An unsighted Yassine Bounou was deceived as Rodrygo whipped a 25-yard free-kick into the bottom-right corner after 29 minutes, although Sevilla should have been ahead at half-time.

    Erik Lamela volleyed against the post with Thibaut Courtois stranded, before the forward lifted a back-post chance over after an inviting Alejandro Gomez delivery.

    Rodrygo somehow lofted over when one-on-one with Bounou after the break, while Mir turned narrowly wide from Acuna's pinpoint centre.

    Yet Rodrygo proved the difference after 69 minutes, coolly finishing a rapid counter-attack by sliding into the bottom-right corner to down Sevilla, who saw Acuna dismissed later on for a mindless lunge on Vazquez.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.