SKY must bury the ghosts of golden duck hat-trick as India takes on Australia

The dashing batter needs to decode the 50-over format and bat through the innings

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India's Suryakumar Yadav must set the record straight to secure a World Cup berth. - AFP File

Published: Thu 21 Sep 2023, 9:44 PM

India and Australia begin their World Cup preparations with a three-match ODI series starting on Friday at Mohali and a lot of players from both sides will be looking to push their case for making the team for the upcoming World Cup.

However, one player from the Indian team would like to get the record straight and that is Suryakumar Yadav.

In the last series played against Australia SKY suffered three consecutive first-ball ducks, yes you read me right three golden ducks.

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He not only has to get this unique record of being the only Indian player to get three first-ball ducks but also to prove his credentials and justify the faith shown by his selectors in backing him and selecting him in the 15-member World Cup squad.

This is despite having a very poor record in the 50-over format where he averages less than 25 in 27 matches.

Regardless of having a terrific record in the T20 format, where he averages 46 at a whopping strike rate of 172, Suryakumar has yet to decode the 50-over format as he does not know how to go about building his innings in the longer format of the white ball game. This is a format where he has time but not the temperament to bat through the innings.

In the last series played against Australia, he was knocked over twice by Michael Starc with his late in-swing where he fell over and was like a dead duck. Whereas, in the last innings he was cleaned by Aston Agar while trying to cut the ball.

When he walks out to bat at Mohali against the men in yellow, both Starc and Agar will be missing, but for sure the ghosts of those three first-ball ducks will haunt him. It needs to be seen how he can bury that memory and prove to his fans and the selectors that he is good enough to be selected ahead of Sanju Samson for the World Cup.

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These three ODI games are his last chance to cement his place in the squad as the selectors still have the time to change the team till September 28, and SKY would like to prove that his selection was right.

Published: Thu 21 Sep 2023, 9:44 PM

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