'One of the Greatest, Make Him Bat at No. 3': EX-Windies Captain Draws Parallel Between Suryakumar and Viv Richards

The cricket pundits have been calling India’s squad for the T20 World Cup 2024 a balanced side. The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee announced the team last week which appears to be a decent mix of youth and experience, covering almost every base. But once the tournament begins, in the US and the West Indies, it won’t be easy for the team management to pick eleven players from the group of 15.

The greats of the game have been guessing India’s possible XI ahead of the showpiece event and joining the bandwagon, former West Indies captain Brian Lara has suggested that Suryakumar Yadav has to bat at No. 3.

Speaking with Press Trust of India, Lara suggested that if Suryakumar gets 10-15 overs to bat, he could put India in an unassailable position in that game.

“My one advice and I don’t know if you’re going to like it or not, but Sky has to bat at three. He just has to bat at three. He is one of the greatest T20 players in the game. And you speak to players like Sir Viv, and he will tell you he used to want to get out there in the middle,” Lara told PTI.

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“And I feel that that’s the same thing with SKY. So, get in on it as quickly as possible. He’s not an opener, get him out there and if he can bat for 10-15 overs, you know what’s going to happen.”

“He’s going to put you in an unassailable position if you bat him first, or he’s going to win the game if he’s batting second. And then let everybody sort of position themselves outside of that, but a good structure is important,” he explained.

The talk around Kohli’s strike rate has been incessant but Lara reckons players like him are needed in the playing eleven.

“You have to have a player like Virat in the playing eleven,” Lara added.

“Suryakumar usually bats at number four for India and Kohli at three. Kohli opening the innings alongside Rohit to accommodate Surya at three is an option which will leave Yashasvi Jaiswal on the bench. Just find a way to make Suryakumar bat at three,” stressed Lara.

(With PTI Inputs)