Former Indian all-rounder Ravi Shastri feels Suryakumar Yadav doesn’t carry any baggage of the previous matches. Yadav was dismissed after scoring only four runs in the first ODI against New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland on Friday.
Lockie Ferguson was able to produce the outside edge of Yadav’s bat to bag the big wicket. However, the right-hander was once again able to hit the ground running against the Kiwis in the second game.
He scored an unbeaten knock of 34 runs off just 25 balls with the help of two fours and three sixes before rain played killoy to abandon the game. Yadav has been in the form of his life and he can get going from the word go. The Mumbai batter also scored a reverse sweep six against Michael Bracewell.
While reviewing the truncated innings, Ravi Shastri said on Prime Video, “It was a good sweep. The beauty about it is that he is not bothered about what happened in the last innings. He leaves that behind. He sees there is a sense of urgency needed, it’s a 29-over game now, you need to get on with it.”
Shastri feels the best time to dismiss Yadav is early on in the innings and the opposition bowlers will struggle if they don’t do that.
“He takes his chances. One thing is he will always give the bowlers chances in the first eight to ten balls he plays. It’s your best chance of getting him early because he is going to take his chances. But if gets through that period, then he can make you pay for it.”
On the other hand, former New Zealand bowler Simon Doull feels SKY is just phenomenal as he has been consistently delivering for the team.
“He is just phenomenal. There was a little blip the other day at Eden Park, hitting that gorgeous four and then nicking off to a beauty from Lockie Ferguson.”
“It’s funny, as soon as you shorten the game a little bit, because his numbers in 50-over cricket are nowhere as good as his numbers in T20 cricket, Suryakumar Yadav comes into it. He is such a brilliant player.”
The third ODI between India and New Zealand will be played at Hagley Oval, Christchurch on Wednesday.
