ICC T20 World Cup 2022: 'Mr 360' AB de Villiers lauds Surya's show; says never saw this happening
Indian batting sensation Suryakumar Yadav has set the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 on fire with 225 runs from five games, including three fifties at a staggering strike rate of 193.97. Here's what South African great AB de Villiers had to say about the Mumbai lad's recent run with the bat:
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FollowSuryakumar Yadav, the finest batter competing in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022, may think the comparisons to AB de Villiers are premature, but the original "Mr 360 degree" South African considers them to be rather accurate.
With 225 runs from five games, including three fifty-plus scores and a mind-boggling strike rate of 193.97, Surya has ignited the World Cup. He possesses a remarkable variety of strokes that have astounded both professionals and enthusiasts.
Even in the most challenging conditions, like India faced against South Africa in Perth, the 32-year-old latecomer to international cricket has made batting seem deceptively simple.
Surya recently claimed that there could only be one "Mr 360" amidst continual mention of his ABD-like playing style, although de Villiers begged to differ.
"I am very happy for Surya. I think he has come a very long way. I never saw this happening, the way he is playing. He was very conservative and stuck to his game plans at the start, but he is now laying the platform and foundation and then starting to dominate the bowlers. It is fantastic to see that and he has a bright future ahead of him," de Villiers told PTI from Mumbai where he launched the Last Man Stands-backed India Super League.
When asked if it is the right time to compare Surya with him, de Villiers, one of the most versatile batters in the game, said: "Yes they are. The only thing he will have to concentrate on is his consistency. He will have to do this for 5 to 10 years and then he will find himself in the golden books of cricket players."
De Villiers played impressive strokes across the park, leaving the cricketing world in awe. But has Surya's performance bowled him over?
"Any player that gets into form... I think of quite a few guys that really start playing at the peak of their powers, that makes me very exciting. Each sportsman for that matter.... It is beautiful to watch when they are really free and having fun out there. Great to watch Surya play the way he is playing now," said the 38-year-old who retired from all forms of cricket in 2021.
India, England, New Zealand, and Pakistan have reached the semifinals of the World Cup in Australia. One of the more unexpected ICC events in recent memory, the competition has seen many upsets. The Super 12 stage consisted of twelve teams, including four from the preliminary qualifying round. Teams were split into two groups of six for this stage.
Teams played five games in the league stage and that number is not enough for de Villiers. "I feel the top four teams in the world are in the semifinals of the World Cup. I do feel there should be more games. There are not enough games. If you have 10 teams, you play nine games and you get the top four and then you have the IPL playoff-like system where one plays two, three plays four and if one or two loses they play the winner of three and four," De Villiers said.
Also read: ICC T20 World Cup 2022: Here's how Suryakumar Yadav mastered the scoop shot
"That to me is a fair system. 99 percent of the times you will get the best team win the tournament," he stated. On his future, de Villiers said that he has no long-term plans. "I have not decided anything yet. Taking it easy this year and we will see what happens in the future," he concluded.
(With inputs from PTI)
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