Suryakumar Yadav confident of India Test call-up after 111 vs New Zealand: That is also coming

Suryakumar Yadav has played 54 matches for India in ODIs and T20Is, but is yet to don the national jersey in Tests. The 32-year-old has played 77 first-class matches.

That is also coming: Suryakumar confident of Test call-up after 111 vs New Zealand. Courtesy: AP

By India Today Web Desk: Suryakumar Yadav said that he’s confident of breaking into India’s Test team. Back in July 2021, the 32-year-old was called up for the tour of England as a replacement, but he didn’t get to don the national jersey.

Having played 13 ODIs and 41 T20Is, Yadav has already made a massive mark for the Men in Blue. On Sunday, November 20, the right-hander scored an unbeaten 51-ball 111 in the second T20I against Kane Williamson’s New Zealand at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.

On the back of his knock, laced with 11 fours and seven sixes, India scored 191 and subsequently won the match by 65 runs. Having played the stupendous knock, Suryakumar has set his sights on a Test cap.

“Aa raha hain, woh (Test selection) bhi aa raha hain (coming, that is also coming,” Suryakumar was quoted as saying in the post-match press conference.

Yadav said that, having played quite a bit of first-class cricket, he isn’t alien to the red-ball format by any stretch of the imagination.

“When we start playing cricket, we start with the red ball and I have also played first-class cricket for my Mumbai team… it was quite okay, so I have a fair idea about the Test format and I enjoy playing that format also. Hopefully, I will get the Test cap soon,” he stated.

In 77 first-class matches, Yadav has scored 5326 runs at an average of 44.01 with 14 centuries and 26 half-centuries to show for his efforts.

Yadav also went down the memory lane to the time when he was struggling to play for India in any of the formats.

“I always keep going back to my past. When I am in the room, or travelling with my wife, we keep talking how the situation was two-three years ago. What is the situation now, what has changed now from then, we keep discussing that time.

“Obviously, there was a bit of frustration that time but we always tried to see if there was something positive I could take out of that phase. How could I become a better cricketer, how to go one step ahead,” he stated.

“After that time, I tried to do different things, like eating good food, do quality practice sessions, sleeping on time, so today I am reaping the benefits of all those things I have done then,” Suryakumar added.