Suryakumar Yadav Best T20 Batsman: IND vs ENG LIVE: When world’s best batters and best bowlers alike praise one wholeheartedly, you know, he is good if not the best. World No 1 T20 batter Suryakumar Yadav is that man who has ascended to the throne in just 1 year and eight months. India’s Mr 360 or probably the only active Mr 360 rules T20 with his unorthodox shots, elegant shots, clever shots and whatnot. It has prompted three legendary batters and a bowler to sing his praise. AB de Villiers, Rahul Dravid and Sunil Gavaskar besides Wasim Akram have hailed him as the Best. Follow India vs England LIVE & ICC T20 World Cup 2022 LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN.
His 25-ball 61-run knock against Zimbabwe on Sunday was so outrageous that it took the world by storm. It not only gave India the upperhand but it was an innings to behold. The 25 deliveries he faced included the slog sweep, paddle sweep, ramp shot, scoop, cut at short third, wristy flick over square, straight drives and extra cover drives. All of those came in just 25 balls. Even Virat Kohli doesn’t play that many shots.
Being called the new ‘Mr. 360’, story behind his batting pyrotechnics and much more 👌@ashwinravi99 in conversation with @surya_14kumar 🗨️🗨️
Coming 🔜 on https://t.co/Z3MPyesSeZ.
Watch this space for more.#TeamIndia | #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/Khji0jpLLq
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 7, 2022
So what makes him so special?
Lighting up Melbourne with some audacious shots 🎆
Suryakumar Yadav was in sizzling touch against Zimbabwe 🤩 #ZIMvIND | #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/brCzuoY4ev
— ICC (@ICC) November 6, 2022
Suryakumar Yadav Best T20 Batsman: 5 Reasons why Suryakumar Yadav is the BEST T20 Batsman ever to play from India, CHECK OUT
Ability to Adapt
The prolific Indian batter remains unperturbed by new challenges. Be it new conditions, new bowlers, or under pressure, SKY has emerged as one of the most reliable players. His ability to play with freedom and flexible mindset sets him apart. One reminder could be his 40-ball 68 against SouthAfrica at Perth.
“It’s incredible,” Rahul Dravid described SKY in just one word after the match against Zimbabwe. “That’s why he is the number one T20 player in the world at the moment… it’s not easy to be consistent with the kind of strike rate he’s going at.”
Mr 360
Yadav, moreover, has all the shots in the books and beyond it. He can manoeuvre around the popping crease to add various dimensions to his shot-making ability which has garnered him the accolade of the new ‘Mr.360’ in world cricket.
It is also this very ability which makes him one of the most feared hitters in the shortest format. Yadav, 32, is a perfect example of an unpredictable batter who can keep bowlers at his toes with his free shot-making ability. There is no room for error for the bowlers
And by his own admission, playing rubber-ball cricket in his school days on hard cement tracks has helped him add variations to his game.
“There is only one 360-degree player in the world, and I will try to play like him,” Suryakumar Yadav said. However, it has only prompted the Mr 36 himself to respond.
“You’re very quickly getting there dude, and even more! Well played today,” AB de Villiers tweeted.
Suryakumar Yadav Best T20 Batsman: 5 Reasons why Suryakumar Yadav is the BEST T20 Batsman ever to play from India, CHECK OUT
Legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar too sang SKY’s praise. Dubbing him as Mr 360, he explained why the monicker suits him.
“Each of those innings was pretty much 360 degrees. He is the new Mr 360 degree. There was that one shot that he hit for a six just to the left of the wicketkeeper. Then he went a little squarer in the final overs, for example, taking advantage of the angle that the bowler was trying to aim at. Then also the lofted extra cover drive, he has got every shot in the book. There was a straight drive as well,” Gavaskar told India Today.
Incredible strike rate
The array of shots in his bag, further, helps Yadav to maintain a phenomenal strike rate which is best suited for the game. He has the ability to step into bat in a tense situation and turn the game around on his own.
Interestingly, Yadav has the best strike rate (186.54) for any batter in the shortest format in the ongoing calendar year. He is the only player to accumulate over 1000 runs in 2022.
Suryakumar Yadav Best T20 Batsman: 5 Reasons why Suryakumar Yadav is the BEST T20 Batsman ever to play from India, CHECK OUT
Performs under pressure
Yadav comes into bat at No.4 for India. And there could be two major situations for him in that position: 1. The team is struggling after a poor start. 2. The team has got off to a fiery start and he needs to add to the momentum.
And Yadav is a clever operator. He is limitless in his shot-making ability and adjusts to the situation as per demands. His dynamic batting prowess and free-spirited mindset makes it easy for him to anchor an innings or take the side to a big total from an under-pressure situation.
“Mujhe toh lag raha ye kisi aur planet se aaya hai. He is totally different from anybody else. The number of runs he has scored…he’s just a treat to watch and not just against Zimbabwe, against the top bowling attacks in the world,” Akram said on A Sports.
Match-winner
After proving his prowess in domestic cricket and the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL), Yadav had to wait till 2021 to earn his maiden T20 in international cricket. But his patience and hard work behind the scenes has turned him into a match-winner. In the current scheme of things, Yadav is the most reliable batter in the Indian cricket team and that includes the likes of run-scoring machine Virat Kohli, captain Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul.
But as far as the shortest format is concerned, Yadav remains a cut above the rest. Two fearless bowlers like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis were awestruck. Younis said, he did not how to bowl to him.
“It’s very difficult in T20s to set a plan for a batter who toys with the field. In Test, ODIs, you can come up with a plan. But when the bowlers is already at a disadvantage on T20s, how do you plan? Probably bouncers are the only thing that will work,” Waqar Younis said on A Sports.
Suryakumar Yadav Best T20 Batsman: 5 Reasons why Suryakumar Yadav is the BEST T20 Batsman ever to play from India, CHECK OUT
Follow InsideSport on GOOGLE NEWS / Follow T20 World Cup 2022 Live Updates with InsideSport.IN.
Editors pick
