India middle-order batsman Suryakumar Yadav opened the batting in the T20I series against West Indies. Indian team mangement tested Suryakumar to make a backup opener choice in case of Rohit Sharma or KL Rahul get injured in Asia Cup 2022 and ICC T20 World Cup 2022. However, former India batsman Kris Srikkanth has expressed that Suryakumar Yadav is India’s best finisher even above someone like Dinesh Karthik, who has proved his worth with a brilliant comeback in the Indian squad riding on performance in IPL 2022 for RCB.
Speaking exclusively on Star Sports show ‘Follow The Blues’, former India captain and ex-chairman of the selection committee, Krishnamachari Srikkanth debates who are the best finishers for Team India, “What do you mean by a finisher? In my book, the finisher is the guy who can take the batting from the 8th or 12th over and go on till the 20th over, and win the match for India. He starts from the 8th or the 6th over, but where is the good finisher? KL Rahul is a good finisher, Rohit Sharma is a good finisher. They go opening by the way. I just can’t say that you bat the last 5 overs and say he’s a finisher. I would like to term Dinesh Karthik, he definitely finds a place in my team too. I would call Dinesh Karthik a fine finisher but actual finishers are guys like Suryakumar Yadav. He is a brilliant finisher. You have Rishabh Pant, who is a brilliant finisher. You have Hardik Pandya, who is a brilliant finisher too. I think I would like to clarify that a finisher is a guy who takes the team from the 8th over and goes on till the 20th over.”
Former India wicketkeeper and ex-chief of the selection committee, Kiran More discusses whether the emergence of Hardik Pandya as a four-over bowler has convinced Rohit Sharma and the team management to include another wrist spinner in Team India’s squad for the Asia Cup 2022, “Yes, definitely. The way Hardik Pandya has got back in form, bowling to 140-147 km. When the captain gets such a player in the team who can bowl 4 overs and take wickets as well as gets runs for the team and a finisher as well, such players are needed in the team.”
“But I want to say that this team that has been announced (for the Asia Cup) will not be the same team for the T20 World Cup. Mohammed Shami will definitely be there in the Indian team. The back-up that they are taking along is not the final team, this is just the preparation for the World Cup. I will say that Mohammed Shami must definitely go for the World Cup. The process Rahul Dravid works is the way he is handling the team. In case of back-up if any good bowler is down with injury, then Avesh Khan would fill in his place in Australia because you don’t know when you could get injured especially the fast bowlers. Bumrah is currently injured right now, so I think Mohammed Shami or Bumrah will definitely go to Australia for the World Cup.”
Watch ‘The Greatest Rivalry’ as India square off against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2022 on August 28th, 7.30 PM onwards, LIVE & Exclusive on the Star Sports Network and Disney+ Hotstar
