India’s Yadav keen to replicate T20 form in ODIs

Guyana (Reuters): Superb batting from Suryakumar Yadav has kept India alive in the T20 series against West Indies and he hopes to replicate that form in the 50-overs format where he has done less well ahead of the World Cup later this year.

Yadav smashed a blistering 83 off 44 balls, helping India chase down a 160-run victory target with 13 balls remaining in the do-or-die third T20 match. The seven-wicket victory leaves India 2-1 behind in the five-match series.

“I didn’t do anything different. I’ve been batting the same way in the last two years,” Yadav, who was named player of the match, told reporters.

“Everything kept falling in place for me.”

The 32-year-old is currently the top-ranked T20 batter in the world averaging 45.64 and has clocked up three hundreds in the format.

His ODI numbers are less flattering with Yadav averaging 24.33 and logging a highest score of 64 in his 26 appearances.

“To be honest, my ODI stats are pretty bad,” he said, attributing the problem to fewer ODI matches in the calendar.

“I must be honest about it, and we discuss these things openly in the dressing room.”

The message to him from coach Rahul Dravid and skipper Rohit Sharma has been to take his time before playing his natural explosive game, Yadav said.

“This is a format that I don’t play very often. They asked me to rethink my approach.

“They said ‘You know how much damage you can inflict in the last 10-15 overs. We just want you to go and face 45-50 balls.’

“Now the ball is in my court – how to make most of that opportunity, and bat according to team requirement.”