Suryakumar Yadav has been India's one of most impactful batters in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 after Virat Kohli. Known for playing strokes across the ground, Sunil Gavaskar feels he is the new Mr 360.
Indian middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav has ripened into the new Mr 360 degree. Also, India will labour to put up good runs on the board if he fails to get going, feels legendary former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar. Suryakumar, the world's number one Twenty20 (T20) batter right now, has overwhelmed in his first-ever ICC T20 World Cup, playing scintillating innings in the Super 12 stage, helping India reach the semis of the marquee tournament. Versus minnows Zimbabwe, he slapped an unbeaten 61 off 25 balls, transmitting the ball to every corner of the massive Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
"Each of those innings was pretty much 360 degrees. He [Surya] is the new Mr. 360 degree. There was that one shot he hit for a six just to the wicketkeeper's left. Then he went a little square in the final overs, for example, taking advantage of the angle 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 said on India Today.
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Gavaskar feels that Suryakumar is the rationale India has thrived in scoring defendable totals. "He is turning out to be the player who is taking India to totals which you can defend. The score India got was the highest T20I score at the MCG. Without his 61 not out, India would not have reached even 150," he noted.
The under-fire wicketkeeper-opener KL Rahul bounced back to form with consecutive half-centuries in India's previous two contests versus Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. Gavaskar thinks that if Suryakumar fails, Rahul will have to take charge.
"Currently, two batters are in prime form, Kohli and Suryakumar. It was also good to see KL Rahul get yet another half-century, but he has to look to get more than that for a simple reason. If Surya doesn't fire, India will struggle to get 140-150. It's therefore vital for Rahul to keep going," Gavaskar added.
'Let's hope Rohit is saving the runs for the next two matches'
Skipper Rohit Sharma has had an underwhelming T20WC by his means, scoring just 89 runs in five matches, with his only significant knock being 53 versus the Netherlands. "Well, let's hope he saves the runs for the next two games. They are going to be the biggest matches. You know there's another game to follow in a group game, so you may sometimes try too much and get out," reckoned Gavaskar.
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"Now, these are knockout games. In a knockout game, you can't afford to experiment too much. You need to be at your best. Let's hope that Rohit comes good," Gavaskar imagined. Rohit hasn't been able to provide India with trustworthy starts, and the pull, his trademark shot, has been his undoing in Australia.
"What's been happening is that he [Rohit], as the team captain, has set this template in the first six overs to go bang, bang, and bang. Suddenly, he can't be seen looking to work the ball around. He is always a good puller of the ball. But, on Australian boundaries, that pull shot has got him into trouble," surveyed Gavaskar.
"We saw that two years ago as well. He [Rohit] got out twice by playing the pull shot after scoring 40-50 runs [in Test cricket]. That's got him into trouble again. In a T20 format with just one fielder in the first six overs, he has got to be mindful of the fielder and play the pull shot. It's a productive shot for him. Let's not forget that," Gavaskar concluded.
(With inputs from PTI)