Former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri feels Suryakumar Yadav is like AB De Villiers “at his best”. The right-handed batter has been in terrific form for Team India in white-ball cricket. This year, he ranks at the top with the most runs in T20Is and is the leading run-scorer in the format. Suryakumar Yadav continued his good form in the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand.
The 32-year-old scored 34 runs off 25 balls in the called-off second ODI at Seddon Park in Hamilton. He took his time to get settled at the crease, and then put his foot on the accelerator. Suryakumar Yadav’s stunning strokeplay demoralizes the opponents, feels former India head coach Ravi Shastri. Speaking on Prime Video, Ravi Shastri expressed,
“He is one of the best players in the world if not the best T20 player. He has got the all-round game and he is devastating. On his day, if he bats 30-40 balls, he’ll win you the match because he scores at that pace and he demoralizes the opposition with the kind of shots he plays. He is much like AB de Villiers at his best. When AB played one of those special innings, it deflated the opposition and Surya can do just that.”
Suryakumar Yadav backs his ability and attacking instincts: Ravi Shastri
Suryakumar Yadav has scored 1384 runs for Team India in white-ball cricket this year at an average of 40.70 and a strike rate of 159.63. He slammed his second T20I century earlier this month against New Zealand at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. However, the right-handed batter was dismissed cheaply in the first ODI at Eden Park in Auckland.
Ravi Shastri expressed that given Suryakumar Yadav’s form, he is bound to be struck by the law of averages. However, the former cricketer added that the swashbuckling batter has the ability to make the most of the starts that he gets in the middle. Shastri said,
“If you look at the numbers and law of averages, he is bound to have an innings like that. But if he gets past the 15-20-run mark, he makes it count as he showed in some of his earlier innings. So, he backs his ability and attacking instincts. So when you have those kinds of instincts, every odd inning, he is bound to fail. But when it comes off, it’s spectacular.”
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