Forget the World Cup, focus on MI roles: Former WI captain Brian Lara tells Suryakumar, Kishan
Former West Indies captain Brian Lara said he believes Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan show little desire to play for the Mumbai Indians in the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) after their participation in the T20 World Cup campaign in India.
The legendary batsman said Suryarkumar and Ishan are resting on their laurels but stressed it’s important for the Mumbai Indians duo to return to form and help the 5-time champions make their way through to the play-offs.
Brain Lara’s comments come even as Suryakumar and Ishan Kishan’s form for MI in IPL 2021 has become a cause for concern. The two MI stars, who were instrumental in the side winning its 5th title last year in the UAE, have been struggling to put bat to ball in the UAE leg of the ongoing season.
Suryakumar hasn’t gone past the single-digit score so far since MI resumed their campaign in the UAE. The 31-year-old, who was looking in good touch in India’s tour of Sri Lanka in July, has scores of 0, 8, 5, 3 in the 4 matches so far played in the 2nd leg of the tournament.
On Tuesday, Mumbai Indians made the “difficult decision” of dropping Ishan Kisan from the playing X for their match against Punjab Kings after his run of poor scores — 11, 14, and 9 in the UAE. Suryakumar was retained in the XI but the right-hander was dismissed for a duck after he failed to read a googly from PBKS spinner Ravi Bishnoi.
“Maybe Indian selection (possible reason for their problems). A lot of guys maybe are sitting back on their laurels now,” Lara told Star Sports on Tuesday.
“They remember the Indian team, something may be more important. But this is where your bread and butter is. Playing the IPL, this is where you have done it. Looking at Suryakumar, looking at Ishan Kishan, looking at Tiwary, he looks hungrier than they are.
“For me, those guys have to be a little bit more professional now and try to help their team win the tournament.
“Forget the World Cup, this is your job now to get Mi back into the tournament,” Lara added.
Mumbai Indians rallied on Hardik Pandya’s 40 not out and all-round effort from Kieron Pollard to end their 3-match losing streak and seal a 6-wicket victory over the Punjab Kings on Tuesday. Hardik showed signs of returning to form with the bat but the all-rounder is yet to bowl a single over for MI in the UAE leg.
‘Don’t take Indian selection for granted’
Meanwhile, former India opener Aakash Chopra said it’s high time Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan start scoring runs and highlighted that the national selectors can chop and change the T20 World Cup squad until October 10.
“While that Indian selection has happened, don’t take it for granted that there are no changes happening. Ishan Kishan is quite apparent that he is not scoring runs, Hardik Pandya is not bowling whereas Shardul Thakur is,” Chopra said.
“So don’t be surprised if we have a couple of changes before the World Cup.
“Surykumar Yadav, please buckle up and pull up your socks. If you don’t get runs, in the end, there is nothing that is stopping the Indian selectors from changing the team.
“You don’t want to start a World Cup campaign with people woefully out of form,” he added.
India will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against Pakistan on October 24 in Dubai. The premier tournament gets underway from October 17 in Oman and the UAE, 2 days after the IPL 2021 final.
