Suryakumar Yadav made a blistering return to form during the first T20I of the series against New Zealand, slamming 62 off just 40 deliveries to steer India to a five-wicket victory.
The right-handed batter had a disappointing outing in the recently-concluded T20 World Cup. However, Suryakumar laid the foundation of Indian victory as he came at no. 3 in the batting order to forge a strong 59-run partnership with newly-appointed captain Rohit Sharma, and remained undeterred with his dismissal to keep India in control.
Suryakumar was named the player of the match and former Indian bowler Irfan Pathan heaped praise on the player’s batting style, calling him a ‘360 degree’ player.
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On being asked whether Suryakumar will be a key figure in the Indian batting order for the 2022 T20 World Cup, Pathan said, “It is still far away. India have to play many more games before the next edition. But Suryakumar has given good signs for the future.”
“In the first match of the 2021 T20 World Cup, he didn’t look in form and it’s unfortunate that he couldn’t capitalize on the opportunity at that time, but he remains a very good batter. He has played well in domestic cricket consistently, and has impressed in IPL as well so we know he is a quality batter."
{{/usCountry}}“In the first match of the 2021 T20 World Cup, he didn’t look in form and it’s unfortunate that he couldn’t capitalize on the opportunity at that time, but he remains a very good batter. He has played well in domestic cricket consistently, and has impressed in IPL as well so we know he is a quality batter."
{{/usCountry}}"If we talk about a 360-degree player, I think Suryakumar is our answer to that question. Because he tries to play in all directions, and he has the ability to cover all directions. He plays well against spinners and can deal with pace as well. And as we saw today, he completely showed his capabilities.”
Former Team India batting coach Sanjay Bangar also praised Suryakumar, stating that he is a “mature player” who knows the value of his wicket.
"He is a very calculating batter. He has waited a lot for an opportunity with the Indian team, so he knows the value of his wicket, the value of the situation and the value of building partnerships. He is a very mature player,” said Bangar.