The sky is the limit when Suryakumar Yadav is in form! , Photo credit: Vijay Soniji
Suryakumar Yadav’s worth as the eventual match-winner once again came to the fore on Saturday. Sri Lanka scored an unbeaten 112 off 51 balls in the third T20 match as India won the series 2–1.
By scoring his third T20I century in a span of six months, Suryakumar has established himself as the white-ball crown jewel of this Indian team.
For skipper Hardik Pandya, life is good when Suryakumar clicks. “Today felt like Sri Lanka vs Surya. It makes my life very easy. Surya is very important for us in white ball cricket. That changes the game. The way he plays his shots, it really breaks the spirits of the bowler and it helps other batsmen as well.
knows his role
Suryakumar is well aware of his strengths, so Hardik has no reason to advise him. You don’t say anything to Surya (before he goes out to bat). The kind of form he is in and the clarity he has – you don’t need to talk to him. He never doubts his ability and that is the reason for his success in this format.
Rahul Tripathi sets the stage for Suryakumar with a sweet cameo. , Photo Credit: AP
Suryakumar was given the ideal platform for the launch by Rahul Tripathi.
Tripathi, playing his second T20I, changed India’s direction by scoring 35 runs in 16 balls in the powerplay.
“A special mention to Rahul – the kind of intent he showed could change the momentum of the game. The next batsman thought there was something in the wicket, but because of his innings, the ball suddenly stopped moving and the bowlers changed their lengths. Then Sri Lanka were chasing the game,” said Hardik.
The Indian team has long talked about playing attacking cricket in T20Is, but it hasn’t always happened on the field. However, the third T20I went along with the script, with the batsmen showing good intent from start to finish.
helpful pitch
Hardik admitted that the pitch at the batting-friendly Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium made this approach easier. Hardik said it would be important to maintain that mindset when the pitch is unhelpful.
“It’s not that we always have to hit. There can be a case where we do the same thing and score 150. You look for boundaries, and with a good ball you go for singles. But if you think defensively from the first ball itself, you will not be able to keep the bad balls away. On difficult wickets, intent and aggression are more important.
One for cabinet: Indian captain Hardik Pandya with the series trophy. , Photo Credit: AP