India's Twenty20 captain, Suryakumar Yadav, is optimistic that a period in first-class cricket will enhance his prospects of securing a place in the test team. At 33, he is a pivotal player in India's limited-overs squads and assumed the T20 captaincy following Rohit Sharma's departure from the format after guiding India to World Cup victory in June. Suryakumar debuted in tests against Australia last year but a groin injury and an abundance of middle-order candidates led to his demotion in the selection rankings.
"Many individuals have put in tremendous effort to secure their positions, and I too aim to regain that position," Suryakumar remarked during a domestic competition on Monday. "Several players have been given chances and have performed admirably. They currently merit those opportunities." India is set to play 10 tests in the next four months, including five in Australia, with contenders like Shreyas Iyer, Sarfaraz Khan, and KL Rahul all vying for a middle-order spot.
"That's beyond my control," Suryakumar noted regarding his chances of being selected over others. "Currently, my focus is on participating in the Buchi Babu tournament, moving on to the Duleep Trophy, and then observing the outcomes," he said, mentioning domestic red-ball competitions. "However, I am eagerly anticipating the upcoming events. There are 10 test matches scheduled, and I'm certainly looking forward to some exciting red-ball cricket." India's test series commences on September 19 with two matches against Bangladesh and three against New Zealand, before heading to Australia in November.
