Suryakumar Yadav has taken his game to another level with some record-breaking performances at T20Is in 2022 and is now looking to transform that form into ODI cricket.
Suryakumar Yadav may be focused on translating his extraordinary T20I form into his ODI, but his meteoric ascent in the former and the record-breaking he boasts in 2022 The numbers continue to be the talk of the town. Suryakumar scored his 1,578 runs in his 43 innings, averaging 46.41, and in his T20I his career batting average was a whopping 180.34.
Last year, Suryakumar became a regular for his team in India, but those who have followed the Indian Premier League (IPL) have been able to witness his steady growth. Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, head coach of the league’s Delhi Capitals, admitted that he did not expect Suryakumar to be able to play an innings like he had last year. “I don’t think I’ve seen a better player in this game in terms of innovation and skill. It will add a layer of skill to the game,” Ponting told the ICC review.
“Somebody said at his IPL this year that there’s someone trying to do the exact same thing as Surya and that’s great for the game.”
Suryakumar’s ability to hit the ball anywhere on the ground has been compared to South African great AB de Villiers.
“He’s probably doing better now than anyone ever. We’re talking about a player who can score 360 goals. Some of the shots he returns behind the wicketkeeper and some on his great legs. That shot deserves attention,” said Ponting. “He started doing it in the IPL five or six years ago. He was very good at flicking the ball in deep back squares and good at getting the ball down on fine legs. Surya is now a short ball. hit high on the way and can be flicked, and when a short ball passes over the keeper’s head, they become six, not just four.”
Ponting said Suryakumar’s improved fitness may have helped him do what he does. “To be honest, I didn’t expect him to reach the level he’s at now. He worked as hard as he did – you can probably tell by the shape of his body. (Virat) He’s probably healthier than ever because of his proximity to Indians like Kohli and Shreyas Iyer. Having them show me the way has made him an incredibly good player,” Ponting said.