Suryakumar Yadav T20 Mastery
Introduced while the World Cup loomed overhead, every aspect and consequence of this series was measured in relation to that tournament. Its purpose was clear – to fine-tune India for the World Cup and address any persistent issues. In this regard, the performance of Suryakumar Yadav stood out with his skillful play, adaptability, and maturity on display throughout a truly remarkable T20 innings. This time, Mr. 360 became Mr. 180 as the destructive T20 player transformed into a calculating middle-over manipulator in the 50-over format.
Shubman Gill had a challenging situation in an ODI, facing a slow pitch and losing batting partners early on. This is a common scenario for middle-order batsmen in T20Is. In an attempt to pull a ball that wasn’t very short, Yashasvi Jaiswal ended up giving a catch to left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein. The pace of the delivery surprised him as spinners often vary their speed when using the new ball. Hosein then deceived Shubman Gill with an arm-ball during a sweep shot, although replays indicated that the ball would have missed the stumps.
Yadav had been cautioned about the risks of attempting pull shots and sweeps. He took heed, setting aside any ego he may possess. Soon after, he witnessed Sanju Samson nervously edging a ball while attempting to guide it towards third man. Furthermore, Hardik Pandya persistently attempted power shots until his efforts became futile, consuming 18 deliveries for a mere 14 runs. However, these instances did not affect Yadav’s mindset. He discerned the specific strokes that would be effective on this particular pitch.
In ODIs, middle-order batsmen are often required to play an anchor role, accumulating runs while maintaining stability in the innings. Yadav demonstrated his mastery of this role by playing a composed knock, relying on conventional batting techniques rather than solely relying on his natural improvisation skills.
It wasn’t just the way he swung the bat, which was more reminiscent of classical technique than modern style, but also the tempo and mood of his innings. Unlike in the third T20 match, where he aggressively counterattacked right from the beginning, he started off slowly this time. In fact, it took him 12 balls to hit a boundary. But when a short and wide delivery begged to be punished through point, he did so with great conviction. This became his approach for most of his innings: patiently waiting for opportunities to play low-risk shots when presented with slightly loose deliveries.
Playing within himself
It’s in the middle overs where the sultans of the 50-over version really shine. They don’t rely on risky, low-percentage shots, but instead keep the run rate ticking along with singles and take advantage of any loose deliveries. In this game, Yadav didn’t quite reach his usual strike rate of 174, operating at 135 instead. He still managed to hit a boundary roughly every eighth ball he faced, which is impressive. It shows that he was adapting his approach to the pitch and situation at hand. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find a stable partner to build a big partnership with; the highest they managed was 49 runs with Tilak Varma playing fluently. The team did benefit from a generous 19-run over from Alzarri Joseph due to his occasional waywardness and some extra pace on the ball.
It was a challenging pitch for playing sweeping shots. The spinners were delivering balls that had varied bounce and skid. Both Gill and Jaiswal were taken aback by the slipperiness of Hosein’s deliveries. So, Yadav decided to refrain from using his most effective stroke against spinners – the sweep shot. He only attempted one slog-sweep, hitting it flat and straight towards long-on. He avoided trying any shots behind square, even though Hosein and Chase kept targeting him with deliveries aimed at his body. Instead, Yadav relied on playing shots in front of the wicket, mainly through the conventional V-shaped region. Apart from his first boundary that went between short third man and backward point, all his other boundaries were scored in front of square on either side. Surprisingly, not a single run was scored between third man and square-leg – an area where he usually dominates. It seemed like Yadav wanted to break stereotypes and prove wrong any preconceived notions about his batting capabilities.
As seen in his wagon-wheel, he refrained from attempting scoops, ramps, upper cuts, or pulls. There was one instance where he tried to hook a slower-ball bouncer from Romario Shepherd, but unfortunately missed. After that, he decided to completely avoid playing horizontal-bat shots.
RephraseThe team management had given him a specific target of facing 45-50 balls in an innings, and he achieved that for both of his fifties in the T2OIs. While this doesn’t guarantee him a spot in the middle-order for the ODI World Cup, it does showcase his ability to adapt to different conditions and situations. He showcased the different aspects of his batting, including various gears, scoring zones, and patterns. As the tournament approaches, India is in dire need of middle-order batsmen. Recent form becomes crucial in this context. Fortunately, there are some positives to be thrilled about, with a special mention to Yadav and his ability to potentially solve India’s persisting middle-order puzzle.
