‘He should have been in the squad’ – Suresh Raina expresses surprise over Suryakumar Yadav's exclusion from India’s ODI team

Former India batter Suresh Raina has expressed his surprise over Suryakumar Yadav’s non-inclusion in the ODI format. The 34-year-old hasn’t played in the fifty-over format since the 2023 ODI World Cup final. Yadav has played 37 ODI games for India scoring 772 runs with four half-centuries. 

Speaking to Times of India, Suresh Raina said “India looks like a strong side. I am confident Rohit will take India to glory. But I was surprised with Surya’s exclusion from the team. India will miss that X-factor, and that too in the middle order. We saw Surya’s performance in the 2023 World Cup. He was scoring runs all over the ground, which is why he is called Mr. 360. He plays superb sweep shots and is a game-changer. He has the ability to chase a required run rate of 9-plus against top teams. He should have been in the squad,"

Suryakumar Yadav is set to lead Team India in the upcoming five-match T20 series against England. The Men in Blue will then play three ODI matches before heading to Dubai for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tournament. Ajit Agarkar announced the ODI squad on Saturday which is set to be led by Rohit Sharma. 

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The 38-year-old former India star during his chat with Times of India said “India needed a player who could dominate the opposition in the middle overs. The dimensions of the Dubai ground are unique, you have small areas in front and larger ones towards the covers. Surya would have utilised these conditions exceptionally well”

It is to be noted that Yadav had a bad time with the bat during the recently held Vijay Hazare Trophy for Mumbai. The 34-year-old played five games and scored just 38 runs with two successive ducks and ended with an average of 9.5. India’s T20 skipper has been having indifferent form with the bat in the recent domestic matches. 

Suresh Raina also said “In his absence, there will be a lot of responsibility on the top three batters, who are also not in the best form. In the middle overs, will India go with KL Rahul, or will Rishabh move up the order? Or will Shubman open the innings with Rohit? There’s a lot to consider right now. If Suryakumar had been in the squad, he could have provided flexibility with his ability to bat anywhere in the order,"