Suryakumar Yadav made his ODI debut on July 18, 2021, against Sri Lanka and went on to play 37 one-day internationals until his final appearance on November
19, 2023, in the World Cup final against Australia in Ahmedabad. During his ODI career, he accumulated 773 runs at an average of 25.76. In that final World Cup match, Suryakumar scored 18 off 28 balls as India fell short against Australia.
Reflecting on his international career, Suryakumar acknowledged that while he played only one Test match before other players returned and he didn't get another chance, his real disappointment lies with the one-day format. Despite knowing the demands of ODI cricket, he has been candid about his own shortcomings in that arena.
"Hypothetically, we can say anything; had I arrived in 2016, I would have played Tests and done well in ODIs. But looking at reality, in Test cricket, I only played one match and one innings before other players returned and I didn't get another chance," he said on Aakash Chopra's YouTube channel.
"But with One-Day cricket, yes, I am definitely disappointed with myself. It's a white-ball format just like T20, but to be completely honest, I personally feel I didn't put in the hard work that the format demanded," Suryakumar added.
The specific demands of one-day batting
Suryakumar believes ODI cricket presents unique challenges that require a different skill set and mindset compared to other formats. The format demands a careful balance between building an innings and accelerating at the right moments, something he struggled to master during his limited opportunities.
"In my opinion, ODI cricket is the most difficult format for a batter, whether you bat lower down the order or anywhere else," Suryakumar opined.
Despite understanding the technical requirements of one-day batting, Suryakumar admitted that he failed to develop the necessary preparation and practice routines to excel in the format. He acknowledged that his limited ODI appearances passed quickly without him making the most of the opportunity.
"I feel I couldn't crack the method for that. Even though I knew I was likely to bat at five or six, I still didn't work hard enough to truly master that format," he further said.
Taking full responsibility for ODI performance
Suryakumar has discussed his ODI regrets even with his family at home, acknowledging that the lack of dedicated preparation directly resulted in poor performances. He recognised the direct correlation between the effort he invested in different formats and the results he achieved.
"We have this discussion at home too. My wife asks me, 'Do you think you could have played more ODI cricket?' and I tell her, 'Yes, you're right, I didn't work hard enough.' If I didn't put in the work, I didn't get the results. Where I put in the effort, I got the rewards," Suryakumar said.
Suryakumar concluded by emphasising the importance of honest self-reflection and personal accountability. He stressed that integrity in assessing one's own performance is essential for growth and improvement.
"You have to look at yourself in the mirror every day, and how can you lie to the person standing in the mirror? It has to be an honest reflection," Suryakumar concluded.
