Shoaib Akhtar Finds Mathew Hayden's Jibe at Suryakumar Yadav's ODI Form 'Hilarious' - Check Post

Ravi Shastri and Matthew Hayden were engaged in hilarious banter over Suryakumar Yadav’s batting during India’s opening T20I game against Australia on November 23. The repartee has caught the attention of former Pakistani pacer Shoaib Akhter, who has shared his opinion on the topic through a post on X.

With the senior players being rested, Surya has been leading a young Indian unit in the bilateral assignment. In his debut appearance as the captain, Surya produced a blistering show in Visakhapatnam. He smashed 80 runs off 42 deliveries, helping India register their highest successful run-chase in T20Is.

While the match was underway, Ravi Shastri made an appreciatory remark for Surya from the commentary box, underlining his form in the shortest format.

“How do you stop Suryakumar Yadav when he is in this top form?” Shastri asked his fellow commentator Matthew Hayden.

The Australian legend wasted no time in reminding Shastri of Surya’s performance in the recently concluded ICC ODI World Cup. In a sarcastic reply to the question, Hayden said, “Tell him it’s an ODI.”

Shoaib Akhtar seems to have found the exchange quite funny. He shared the conversation on X and hailed Matthew Hayden for his witty response.

Suryakumar Yadav did not feature in India’s first few matches in the ODI World Cup. He was included in the playing eleven after all-rounder Hardik Pandya was ruled out of the tournament due to an ankle injury. While Mohammed Shami was roped in as a fast-bowling option, Surya joined the team as a middle-order batter.

In his seven appearances during the campaign, Surya managed to score only 106 runs. His best performance came in a league match against New Zealand. He registered 49 runs off 47 deliveries, a knock that comprised four boundaries and one maximum.

Surya could become a hero for the country during the final against Australia. The right-handed batter arrived at the crease at a time when India were reeling at 178/5. Joining hands with KL Rahul, Surya began the rescue operation as they were aiming for at least a 250-plus target. Surya managed to register a single boundary during his 28-ball innings.

He could contribute only 18 runs to the scoresheet before losing his wicket to Aussie pacer Josh Hazlewood. India ultimately posted 240 runs on the board and ended up suffering a six-wicket defeat in the big final.