Former New Zealand cricketer Scott Styris has heaped rich praise on India middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav, saying the Mumbai-born cricketer has the potential to single-handedly win games for his country. During the recent T20I series against England, Suryakumar Yadav joined a select band of Indian cricketers who have slammed a hundred in the shortest format of the game.
The Mumbai Indians star smashed a stunning 117 off 55 deliveries in the third and the final T20I against England at Trent Bridge but his valiant effort proved to be futile as the Rohit Sharma-led side lost the match by 17 runs.
During his stupendous knock in Nottingham, Suryakumar was so comfortable in the middle that he appeared to be toying with the English bowlers. Surya or SKY as he is popularly known also struck 14 boundaries and 6 sixes during his century but failed to take India over the line.
Yet his 360-approach has earned him widespread acclaim from several quarters and Scott Styris is of the view that he should bat at No.4 for India because he scores his runs extremely quickly and can change the complexion of games within minutes with his power-packed performances.
“It is a good motivation, obviously I was happy and there was an opportunity to make the team win. It feels nice that people expect from me. I got motivation form that to perform for the team, win the match,” SKY said about his innings in the third T20I against Jos Buttler's men.
Fresh from his successful stint in the United Kingdom, Suryakumar Yadav will be back in India colors on Friday in the first ODI against the West Indies at the Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad.
“There are very few people on this planet who are bigger fans of SKY than what I am, I can tell you that right now. If he is not in that side, then every other side around the world is just doing a little dance,” Scott Styris who played for New Zealand as an all-rounder from 1999 to 2011 told Sports 18.
“It was pleasing for me when everyone said that he should be one of the first guys picked and I can understand why. I think he has got real game-winning potential, that's what you are after, you want players who can win matches on their own,” Scott Styris mentioned.
“It's the other names around, you have got Rohit, KL Rahul and Kohli – so the front three are taken. So there is a real squeeze where he fits in. I think he should be the No. 4 but he is up against the likes of Shreyas Iyer and the Sanju Samsons,” the former New Zealand player said.
Nonetheless, the ex-New Zealand cricketer isn't the first former cricket star to laud Suryakumar Yadav for his batting displays in recent days. After his ton in England, ex-India speedster Ashish Nehra had compared him with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, declaring he was as good as both of them.
“There are plenty of positives but the biggest positive for me is Suryakumar Yadav and the way he played these two innings. He couldn't convert the starts into a big inning but when you talk about X-factor, skill, no doubt, Suryakumar Yadav has it in the middle order,” Ashish Nehra told Cricbuzz.
“We have seen that for Mumbai Indians, he has opened, played at No. 3 and 4 as well. Here he played a bit lower in the batting order but if you look at his fours, singles… the confidence he has shown is worth praising,” Ashish Nehra stated.
“If after them, you ask me to name a batsman, I would out Suryakumar Yadav there. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya… he is no less than them. He is right up with those guys. Whenever he has been given a chance, he has always adapted even if he isn’t habitual of batting at that position,” Ashish Nehra added.
Earlier, SKY had said that he approaches 50-over cricket the same way as he goes about batting in the T20s. He said that he has worked on improving his game to keep up with modern-day cricket.
“My mindset is the same in ODI, I try to bat similar to how I do in T20. Playing the natural game is important and there is an advantage in one days that five fielders are inside the circle so the intent is always to score runs. Even if the wickets are falling I try to keep the scoreboard ticking,” Suryakumar Yadav said.
“He (Sunil Gavaskar) is our first inspiration but cricket has evolved and bowlers also make their plans. So, I have worked on how I can improve my game in the last three years, how I can make runs and that is what I practice. I have just added a few shots of my own,” Suryakumar Yadav concluded.
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