‘Case mounts against him’: Ex-Australia cricketer names ‘lucky’ Suryakumar's replacement in India World Cup squad

Once Suryakumar Yadav was preferred over Sanju Samson in India's Asia Cup, it was clear that the team management wanted the former even in their World Cup squad. As it turned out, Suryakumar was picked in India's World Cup 15 while Samson, picked as a reserve for the Asia Cup, did not find a place. Former Australia all-rounder Tom Moody did not agree with the selectors' decision. Moody said SKY was "lucky" to be in India's World Cup squad.

The 1999 World Cup winner, however, did not take Samson's name as SKY's replacement. He instead, said India should have picked Tilak Varma. Moody said Tilak Varma is a left-hander and also decent off-spin, which would have given extra options to captain Rohit Sharma.

"He is lucky to be in that squad purely because of the case that mounts against him for someone like Tilak Varma who gives you that left-hand batting specialist in the middle order who can bowl part-time spin," Moody said on Star Sports.

The former Sri Lanka and Sunrisers Hyderabad coach said Tilak would have been given more flexibility to the Indian middle-order.

"It gives them flexibility around the Ishan Kishan discussion. Doesn't mean both of them can't play in the same side but it gives the flexibility that Rohit Sharma talked about quite regularly in the press conference," he added.

This is not the first time Moody has termed SKY lucky. He had same thing when the right-hander was picked in India's Asia Cup squad.

For his towering feats in T20Is, Suryakumar has rather modest numbers in ODIs. In the 26 ODIs that he has played, SKY averages only 24.33. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes SKY has been such a powerhouse in T20Is that it was almost impossible for the selectors to ignore him from ODIs.

‘India couldn’t resist the temptation of naming SKY in ODIs'

"I don't think they were able to resist the temptation of a Suryakumar Yadav in 50-over cricket because of the kind of magic he has done in T20 cricket," Manjrekar said.

Surya has scored three centuries and 15 half-centuries in his T20I career so far at a strike rate of 172.

"The thing about Suryakumar Yadav is that he plays quality T20 innings, he plays it on the big stage. And if there's a situation similar to T20 cricket and the big stage in the World Cup, who can rule Surya playing a terrific unbelievable innings and getting India into a match-winning situation," he added.

"It's just that his international 50-overs record isn't much and he hasn't played much and they are hoping that his temperament and experience comes into play on the big stage," Manjrekar continued. "Rohit Sharma also talked about handling pressure which is one of the reasons why they want a Suryakumar Yadav with his skills, experience and the ability to handle pressure," he added.