Zaheer Khan, the esteemed former Indian fast bowler, recently expressed his admiration for Suryakumar Yadav's exceptional batting prowess. He highlighted the difficulty bowlers face in executing their strategies against Suryakumar when he is in prime form. Suryakumar's recent performance in T20Is has been nothing short of spectacular, earning him accolades and comparisons with cricketing greats like Glenn Maxwell and Rohit Sharma.
On December 14th, during the third T20I against South Africa at the New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, Suryakumar achieved a remarkable feat. He became only the third batsman, after Maxwell and Sharma, to register four centuries in T20 Internationals. His explosive innings of 100 runs from just 56 deliveries, featuring seven fours and eight sixes, was a testament to his batting brilliance.
Suryakumar's performance not only earned him the Player of the Match award but also played a crucial role in India's comprehensive 106-run victory, leveling the series at 1-1.
"He is building a reputation for himself and there is no doubt about that. He has got shot-making ability all across the ground and that makes it very difficult for bowlers. When you are able to hit one side of the pitch, then as a bowler you always have a chance in this format with the field restrictions," Zaheer was quoted as saying on Crizbuzz.
"But when you have a batter like Surya, who can hit the ball to long on, midwicket, hit sixes over covers and uses the pace by opening the face of the bat nicely, it's tough for bowlers. He picks his fielders, picks his spots and once he is on song and that kind of a zone, it's never going to be easy for bowlers to execute their plans," he stated.
Zaheer Khan, analyzing Suryakumar's gameplay, opined that for bowlers, the most effective strategy against such a dominant batsman is to find ways to dismiss him early. Dislodging Suryakumar seems to be the only viable solution for bowlers to contain him when he's in full swing.
"You just going to give yourself the best chance to bowl the deliveries and get him out, that's one way of stopping him. That's what eventually happened," Zaheer added.
Following his triumph in the T20I series, Suryakumar is now gearing up to lead the Indian team in the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa, which commences on December 17. His leadership and batting skills will be key to India's performance in the series.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
IND vs SA: Suryakumar Yadav provides major injury update after suffering from ankle problem during 3rd T20I
IND vs SA: Suryakumar Yadav hits fourth T20I century, enters Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell's league
