SKY is the limit: Attacking Suryakumar redefines T20 batting
Cricket
SKY is the limit: Attacking Suryakumar redefines T20 batting
DUBAI (AFP) - India s Suryakumar Yadav makes unconventional look cool and his attacking instincts makes him a force to reckon with for the Twenty20 World Cup later this year in Australia.
Suryakumar smashed 68 off 26 balls to lift India from 94-2 in 13 overs to post a mammoth 192-2 against minnows Hong Kong in the Asia Cup Twenty20 tournament on Wednesday.
India s bowlers restricted Hong Kong to 152-5 as they won by 40 runs to sail into the Super Four of the six-nation tournament, which acts as a precursor to T20 s showpiece event in October-November.
Suryakumar s batting blitz stood out and was acknowledged by star batsman Virat Kohli who had the best seat in the house at the non-striker s end as the two put on 98 runs off 42 balls.
Kohli, who is enduring a long batting slump, made 59 off 44 balls but looked amazed with Surykumar s show as he allowed the batsman to lead the walk back after the innings ended.
"He came in and completely changed the momentum of the game on a pitch that was not as easy as he made it look to bat," Kohli said in a chat with Suryakumar for India s cricket board website.
"It was a brilliant knock. I have seen so many from a distance when we played the IPL, but this ws my first experience of watching it very closely. I was completely blown away."
Suryakumar struck six sixes including four in the last over to pulverise a hapless Hong Kong attack, who had India on the defensive early on.
A product of the Indian Premier League, Suryakumar, who loves his tattoos and carries a soothing smile under his gelled hair, made his debut for India last year and quickly became the team s go-to man in crunch situations with his aggressive approach.
-- Fearless batting --
But on Wednesday his freakish display of batting with audacious shots including the sit-down lap hit over the fine-leg region for six to the flick-of-the wrist hit over deep mid-wicket were jaw dropping.
"Some of the shots are pre-determined because this format is about how you prepare when you go into bat," a smiling Suryakumar, known as SKY for his initials, told reporters after the win.
"But it s important to stay in the present when you go out there."
The 31-year-old batsman, who has hit six half-centuries and one hundred in his 25 T20 matches at a strike rate of 177.51 for India, said he is "flexible" to bat at any position his team wants.
"I ve told the captain and coaches I ll play anywhere, just play me," said Suryakumar, who was named man of the match.
Skipper Rohit Sharma, who fell for 21, also praised Suryakumar s "fearless" batting.
A powerful striker of the cricket ball, Suryakumar made his debut in India s top domestic competition -- the Ranji Trophy -- in 2010 with an impressive 73 for Mumbai.
But it was his IPL pyrotechnics with Mumbai Indians that got him recognition and a place in the national side and there has been no looking back.
"I have seen it before, that s why I am not surprised. But he is doing that at the international level to world class bowlers," former India opener Wasim Jaffer, who was Suryakumar s captain at Mumbai domestic side, said on ESPNcricinfo.
"It s just that he hits to so many different parts (of the ground) from third-man to the other end makes it so hard for the bowlers to bowl. So I am happy he comes at three-or four and not any lower."
