Surya is shining
The 32-year-old has just played 34 T20Is, but is arguably the most important batter for India at the T20 World Cup
It is perhaps no exaggeration to say that Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli — all great batters — only set the stage up for Suryakukar Yadav these days. If they can get going early, the 32-year-old from Mumbai finds an even higher tempo. If they can’t, he comes out hoping to change the game in as little time as possible.
Either which way, India wait for Suryakumar to make his way to the crease. The reasoning for that is simple — he plays the game as few others in the world game can. Most batters have their areas that they like to target; a shot that is second nature to them; one that they feel most confident playing.
But Suryakumar bucks the trend by playing the field. So often have we seen him bring his 360-degree game into the mix to achieve precisely that goal. For instance, the opposition captain and the bowler come up with a plan to try bowling wide yorkers and set the field accordingly. But the next shot by Surya could be over fine leg. In doing so, he challenges their thinking and makes them reevaluate their method. If you can do that during a game, that is half the battle won. And that is what makes him so unique; so difficult to bowl at.
“A combination of everything, but what I like about his game is his reading of the game and the bowler’s mind,” said former India coach Ravi Shastri when asked about what makes Surya unique in this Indian batting line-up. “He is playing with the bowler’s mind, with the bowler’s field. He’s got the audacity to try and hit the ball against which the field is placed, which means you need to get into position early. So, I think his anticipation, reading of what a bowler does, plays a huge role in his batting, and he’s been brilliant in doing that.”
Shastri added: “Some shots that he plays... I’ve not seen too many players play those shots. AB (de Villiers) at his prime probably did this for a bit. You don’t hit a ball from middle and leg to the sightscreen at the back! It was a shot unheard of during our time. But he does it so easily and regularly, that you’ve to take your hat off to him. He can light up the T20 World Cup.”
Suryakumar has faced just 591 balls in T20 internationals, but he’s arguably the most important batter in India’s T20I line-up. Since his debut in March 2021, he has played 34 matches and scored 1045 runs at an average of 38.70 and a mind-blowing strike-rate of 176.81.
The run tally, between his debut and now, places him third among all international batters in the period. Only Mohammad Rizwan (1847) and Babar Azam (1431) have scored more runs but they have played more matches and done it at a lower strike-rate.
Among Indian batters, Sharma (964 runs at a SR of 146.06) comes closest. Kohli (784 runs at an SR of 138.02) has done pretty well too. But Surya stands out simply because of the sheer impact his runs are having on the game.
When he walks in to bat, the bowlers are on high alert because they know if he stays in long enough, he’ll run away with the game. He doesn’t wait to get his eye in – that is old school – before he starts playing his shots. Rather, right from ball one, he is looking to hurt the opposition. A six off the first ball isn’t madness; it is quintessential Surya.
Of course, Surya has never played in Australia and ensuring he acclimatises well should be at the top of coach Rahul Dravid and skipper Sharma’s priority list. But former South African pacer Dale Steyn believes the right-hander should be able to manage because of how he plays.
Former South African pacer Dale Steyn, on Star Sports, said, “He's the kind of player who likes to use the pace of the ball. He likes to get in behind square. In places like Perth, Melbourne, all of these grounds, there is a little bit of extra pace. So, you can use the pace, you can hit towards fine leg, behind and all along the carpet. And he’s also really good when standing still and hitting off the back foot. He has played some amazing back foot cover drives and some beautiful cover drives off the front foot too. So, he's an all-round player. In Australia, the wickets are so good, they are batter friendly.”
Steyn added: “He is a wonderful 360 degree player, and reminds me of AB de Villiers. He could be India's version of AB de Villiers. With the red-hot form that he’s in, he's a player to definitely watch out for in this World Cup.”
So many now see shades of AB de Villiers in Suryakumar, which shows, once again, that he has been operating on a different plane to the rest of the batters. But given how he has been playing of late, there is a fear that he perhaps might have peaked a bit too early.
Former India selector Saba Karim, on Sports18, spoke about how essential Yadav is to India going into the World Cup. “Well one thing I can say is India’s chances of winning the World Cup depend largely on Suryakumar’s form and I say this because he plays in such a difficult position. In the middle overs, in the T20 format, to play with such a high strike rate is not so easy but it comes so easy for Suryakumar because of his skill and experience and he’s so dexterous. So yes, I hope and pray that he does well and continues with this form even in the World Cup.”
At the moment, he is virtually irreplaceable in the Indian line-up. He loves his cricket – and even played despite being down with fever ahead of the series decider against Australia recently – and is constantly thinking about the big picture.
“We were travelling and there was a change in weather too,” Suryakumar told BCCI. “I had a stomach ache in the morning and also had fever. But it was also a decider. I told our physio and doctor, if this was a World Cup final, how would I react?”
It showcased the attitude that makes Suryakumar so loved by his team and so feared by the opposition. Once he sets his mind to it, he isn’t going to back down. If it was the World Cup final, how would he react? By simply going for it, of course.
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