Former New Zealand all-rounder believes Suryakumar Yadav provides a little X-factor if we compare him with other batters. The right-hander has been in top form in the recent past and he is ticking the right boxes for the Indian team.
The 31-year-old from Mumbai has shown that he can score all around the ground and he can play with the field to score his runs at a brisk pace. The fielding restrictions in the PowerPlay overs doesn’t impact Yadav’s game and thus a lot of pundits feel he should bat in the middle-order.
The talisman, who has taken International cricket like fish to water, had scored a fine knock of 76 runs off just 43 balls in the third T20I against the West Indies to help his team get close to the target of 165 runs.
Furthermore, Yadav had scored a majestic knock of 117 runs off just 55 balls in the third T20I against England but his efforts had went in vain. The right-hander has been consistently scoring the runs for the national team and he is doing that at the strike rate of more than 170.
Styris also wants Suryakumar Yadav to bat at number four for Team India in the upcoming matches.
“Well, very good players are usually very good, no matter at what position you put them in. So, no, I am not surprised that he has made a great fist of opening the batting, but what a problem to have. I am incredibly jealous and envious of India’s issues at the moment. This is first world problem. Should he open? Should he be at three? How tough is it for you guys going right now? But yeah, I think you might see some seniority step in here and maybe that means SKY might be down at number four,” said Styris while talking to Sports 18, Sport over the top.
Yadav has the skills to play all around the ground and play accordingly to the field, which makes him a vital cog in India’s wheel.
“It is the thing that I like to talk about the most about Suryakumar Yadav and that is his ability to hit the ball into funny areas. And that makes it incredibly difficult for the opposition captains to have to defend the field. He can hit 360 degrees. He is not traditional. It is not always over long on or over long off. It’s really over extra cover, fine leg against pace bowlers, which means that he’s got so many options. And when that’s the case, he provides that little X factor in terms of something different to the other batsman around him, doesn’t always have to be left hand right hand. It can be what areas of the ground and what types of bowling you really do succeed against. And that is one of the strengths he has,” said Styris.
The fourth T20I between India and West Indies will take place at Florida on Saturday.
