Suryakumar Yadav might play a cameo on spinning track, says Ravi Shastri

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has backed Suryakumar Yadav to play in the first Test, saying he could make small cameos on the spin track. India will take on Australia in the first Test of the four-match series at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur.

Shastri told a press conference that Suryakumar might get an opportunity to start in the first Test as he will play his natural game against spinners. “Suryakumar Yadav might get an opportunity in this Test match. And he will play his natural game. I think he is one player who will be proactive. Especially with Nathan Lyon or other spinners, he will keep trying to score and try to rotate the strike,” said Shastri.

The former India all-rounder said that spin batting is an important aspect of playing Test cricket in India and insisted that Suryakumar will be useful for India due to his ability to rotate the batting regularly. “If you want to do well in India, you have to turn the strike. You can't wear bowling girl balls. You have to find a way to score, not just think about blocking because that can cause you real problems. So I think he will be very useful in that position,” added Shastri.

He said that Suryakumar could play a cameo on the spin track where a quick knock of 30-40 runs could change the fate of the game. “He could come in and play a little cameo on a track that spins a lot, where 30 or 40 can decide the fate of the game. And he can get it quickly and disrupt the opposition. So India will think that way there,” Shastri said.