Not pushing Suryakumar Yadav at number 3 is my only regret: Former KKR captain Gautam Gambhir

Suryakumar Yadav has made a name for himself in the past few years all thanks to his brilliance over the 22 yards. The right-handed batter’s fortunes changed after joining the Mumbai Indians franchise in the 2018 season. He emerged as a vital cog of the team’s batting line-up and played several match-winning knocks. His stunning performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) also earned him a spot in the national team and Suryakumar is set to represent India in the high-voltage T20 World Cup 2021.

It has to be noted that the dasher played for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) before joining the Mumbai-based outfit. Serving KKR from 2014 to 2017, Suryakumar got ample chances and he also showcased glimpses of his abilities. However, the swashbuckling batter mostly batted in the lower order while playing for the Knight Riders.

Weighing on the same, former KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir said his biggest regret is not giving Suryakumar the number three position. For the unversed, Gambhir led KKR throughout Yadav’s tenure at KKR. Although the southpaw had trusted the batter’s abilities, the presence of Manish Pandey and Yusuf Pathan didn’t allow him to place Suryakumar in the top order. He also said letting go off Suryakumar was KKR’s biggest loss.

Suryakumar Yadav’s departure was KKR’s biggest loss: Gautam Gambhir

“The only regret I have is not pushing Suryakumar Yadav at No. 3. There were players like Manish Pandey and Yusuf Pathan, and so we had to always use him as a finisher. A lot of players go on from one franchise to another. From KKR’s point of view, this has to be KKR’s biggest loss, letting go of Suryakumar Yadav,” Gambhir told Star Sports on Thursday.

“He is someone whom we groomed for four years and then let him go and now he is at the peak of his career. Because we couldn’t give him that position (NO. 3), he was not able to get those 400-500 runs in a season, batting at No. 7,” he added.

MI bagged Suryakumar’s services during the 2018 mega auction and what followed next is hidden from none. The swashbuckler was given a chance in the top order and he didn’t disappoint, scoring over 400 runs in three successive seasons. He also was instrumental in taking MI to successive IPL titles in 2019 and 2020.