ODI World Cup 2023: Ravi Shastri names Team India’s X-factor

Fans across the globe are excited as the ICC World Cup 2023 is just around the corner. England are all set to face New Zealand in the opening match on October 5. Hosts India will kick off their campaign against Australia at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai on October 8.

Meanwhile, former India all-rounder Ravi Shastri shifted the spotlight away from the usual suspects of Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma. As per the former Team India head coach, Suryakumar Yadav is the X-factor for the Men in Blue in the ICC mega event. Shastri expressed a keen interest in Yadav’s performance, emphasizing that if the top order is performing well and the team has depth in the batting lineup, Yadav becomes a crucial player.

“If the top order is performing well and you have 6-7-8 players, then you would choose between him and Shreyas Iyer for the current moment However, if all the batters are scoring runs, then that player becomes the X-factor in a big game. He can win you the game because of the damage he can do with Hardik at 6-7-8. They can take the game away from the opposition in the last 6-7 overs. Therefore, you must consider that X-factor. I understand that your batting may be struggling, but that is not the case,” said Shastri during an interview.

Notably, India’s Mr 360 degree batsman has picked up his form during the recently concluded ODI series against Australia.