NEW DELHI: Legendary India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik believes Suryakumar Yadav playing in the ODIs is a “non-negotiable” while adding that he would like to see the right-handed batter being tried as a number six batter.

Suryakumar got out at first ball in both the ODIs between Australia and India in Mumbai and Visakhapatnam thanks to inswingers from left-arm bowler Mitchell Starc. Suryakumar has scored just 110 runs in his last nine ODI innings, raising concerns about his ability to duplicate his T20I blitzes in a 50-over format.

Even in T20Is, he would have been sent out on those two deliveries. It's not that he's leaving because it's an ODI match. No of the format, you must realise that this is high-caliber bowling.

"He played the two ODIs, and before that he wasn't a reliable player. Fourth-placed Shreyas Iyer was the obvious choice, while Surya was the fallback. We must always remind ourselves of Surya's brilliance, said to Karthik. Karthik continued by saying that, with Shreyas Iyer's back issue still unknown, he would want to see Suryakumar bat at number six and offer Hardik Pandya the opportunity to bat at number four.

"What I want to see is if Surya can be accommodated at a new location to bring out the best in him. Personally, I think Hardik Pandya enjoys batting well and in the top position. Hence, is it possible to send him at four and Surya at six? It is so because he is very, very good at turning the game on its head when given 15 to 18 overs.

"He is able to hit boundaries at will and make a fool of the captain whether there are five or four fielders inside the circle. India must decide if they can force Hardik to bat at position four and Surya at position six. Hardik definitely likes to bat first, as we saw with the Gujarat Titans in the IPL and even in T20Is.

"Surya is at his most poisonous when you give him less overs, between 14 and 18 overs. Rahul Dravid and the Indian team may want to think about it. It is unavoidable that he play for the ODI team because he possesses the necessary talents.

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