Veteran Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has lauded middle-order batsman Suryakumar Yadav for his exceptional performance in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024. As India prepare to face South Africa in the final at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, Ashwin highlights Suryakumar’s crucial role in the team’s journey in the tournament.
The stylish right-handed batsman is currently the ninth highest run-scorer in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024, amassing 196 runs in seven matches at an impressive strike rate of 137.06. Ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup final on Saturday, June 29, Ashwin reaffirmed Suryakumar’s status as one of the best T20 batsmen in the world.
Suryakumar Yadav is one of the best T20 batsmen in the world: Ravichandran Ashwin
The veteran pacer praised the Indian batsman’s ability to perform consistently under pressure, particularly at the crucial number four position in the batting order. His aggressive yet calculated approach has provided stability and momentum to the Indian team, especially when they needed it in the crucial matches of the ongoing T20 World Cup in 2024.
Suryakumar smashed an unbeaten fifty to help the Men in Blue beat the United States by seven wickets in the Group A match and then smoked another fifty against Afghanistan in the Super-8 match to show his class.
He played an incredible cameo of 31 runs off 16 balls against Australia in the Super-8 game before hitting a fabulous knock of 47 runs off 36 balls during India’s 68-run win over England in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2024 in Guyana.
Well, the Indian team, led by Rohit Sharma, has been formidable throughout the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024, emerging victorious from both the group stages and the Super-8 phases and will now aim to cross the final hurdle to lift the coveted cup in Barbados on Saturday.
Suryakumar Yadav has shown great intent at No. 4 in T20 World Cup 2024: Ravichandran Ashwin
As India nears the final, Suryakumar’s form will be crucial for the Men in Blue, given his ability to hit big shots and rotate the strike efficiently, and Ashwin backed the star batsman to deliver another extraordinary batting gift for his critics at the summit. clash against South Africa.
Ravichandran Ashwin said on his YouTube channel: “Suryakumar Yadav is one of the best T20 batsmen in the world. He is playing extraordinarily well. But as always, our people were talking about knockouts and big teams. But he has put that to bed. What a quality player he is, he has shown it with his intent at number 4.”
South Africa can target Suryakumar Yadav with slower balls
Meanwhile, Australia effectively restricted Suryakumar Yadav by employing slower wicketkeepers, with fielders positioned in the deep third and fine leg in the 2023 World Cup final. And now South African players Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Marco Jansen will surely keep this strategy in mind in the final.
However, Surya often exploits the pace of the players to guide the ball behind the square on both sides. Since 2023, Suryakumar’s strike rate against slower deliveries has crossed 180, although his average is just 20.
If the Barbados surface is slower, then India’s Mr. 360 batsman might benefit from avoiding planned shots and instead timing his strokes towards deep, long midwicket, or targeting the cover region with precise drives.
