Suryakumar Yadav opens up on his biggest regret in International cricket, says 'I didn't put in hardwork in ODIs'

Widely regarded as one of the most destructive T20I batters of his generation, Suryakumar Yadav offered a candid reflection on his inability to replicate that dominance in One Day Internationals. Refusing to offer excuses, the former Indian skipper took full accountability for his underwhelming 50-over numbers, admitting that his struggles came down to a lack of preparation and adaptation.

Suryakumar Kumar regrets not putting required efforts in ODIs

Suryakumar broke onto the ODI scene in July 2021, earning Player of the Series honors during his maiden tour against Sri Lanka. However, that promising start failed to translate into long-term consistency. Over 37 appearances, the right-hander managed just 773 runs at a modest average of 25.8, crossing the fifty-run mark on only four occasions. His most recent outing in the format remains the heartbreaking 2023 World Cup final loss to Australia, where he laboured to an 18-off-28 deliveries.

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Reflecting on his career during an appearance on Aakash Chopra’s YouTube channel, the 2026 T20 World Cup-winning captain labeled ODIs as the most demanding format for middle-order batters. He pointed out that coming in at number five or six requires a fluid shift in gears—starting with the patience of Test cricket to rebuild after early collapses, before transitioning into a high-octane T20 mindset toward the death overs.

'I am disappointed with myself'

The 35-year-old expressed deep personal disappointment at letting his extended run in the setup slip away, acknowledging that he simply couldn't crack the tactical code of the middle overs. He confessed that despite knowing his role, he failed to put in the necessary groundwork, leaving him to watch his 50-over career pass by before he could fully adapt.

"Test cricket—I played only one Test, played just one innings, and after that players came back and played, so it didn't happen. But ODI cricket—definitely yes, I am disappointed with myself. Because that was a white-ball format—T20 is white-ball, ODI is white-ball too. I personally feel, to be very honest, that in that format, I didn't put in as much hard work as was required for it," Suryakumar said.

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Suryakumar also disclosed that conversations at home pushed him toward deeper self-reflection. When his wife asked if he could have achieved more in 50-over cricket, the admission forced him to look in the mirror and confront his own shortcomings, leaving him with genuine regret over how his ODI career unfolded. He acknowledged that his success in T20s was no accident, it was the direct result of putting in extra training sessions and putting in the hours. In contrast, he admitted that his lack of results in ODIs simply mirrored his failure to invest that same level of effort into mastering the 50-over format. Refusing to place the blame elsewhere, Suryakumar emphasised that honesty with oneself is paramount, concluding that without genuine hard work, one cannot expect positive returns when looking in the mirror.