IND vs SA 2022: “You don't coach him at all” - Team India batting coach Vikram Rathour on Suryakumar Yadav’s blazing form

Team India’s batting coach Vikram Rathour has stated that the best way to coach Suryakumar Yadav on current form is to not say anything to him and just let him be.

India’s No. 4 batter in T20Is has been in terrific form in recent months. In the ongoing series against South Africa at home, he smashed an unbeaten 50 off 33 in the first T20I and followed it up with a 22-ball 61 in the next.

Suryakumar’s exploits have gone a long way in India clinching the series 2-0 with a game in hand. Speaking ahead of the dead rubber in Indore on Tuesday, October 4, Rathour opened up on the right-handed batter's blazing form.

He said in an interview posted on bcci.tv:

“You don't coach him at all, actually. He is batting brilliantly. He is doing whatever you need to do as a batsman. You don't say anything, actually. You just let him be.”

While the 32-year-old has displayed exceptional form, he is yet to play an international match in Australia, where the T20 World Cup will be held. According to Rathour, that should not be an issue since the right-hander likes pace and bounce. He elaborated:

“We are going there (Australia) pretty early. We are leaving on the fifth, so we will have plenty of time once we get there. We need to adapt very quickly. Fortunately, most of us, at least in the batting unit, have been there before.

"For somebody like SKY, it might be the first tour. But the kind of cricket he is playing, I don't see much difference. He is somebody who needs pace and likes bounce. I think we should be okay.”

Suryakumar has 1037 runs to his name in 33 T20I matches at an average of 39.88 and a strike rate of 177.26.

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“India's chances of winning the World Cup depend largely on Suryakumar Yadav's form” - Saba Karim

Former wicketkeeper-batter Saba Karim reckons that Team India’s chances of winning the T20 World Cup 2022 depend largely on Suryakumar’s form.

Speaking on SPORTS18's sports show "Sports Over The Top", he said:

"Well one thing I can say is - India's chances of winning the World Cup depend largely on Suryakumar Yadav's form and I say this because he plays in such a difficult position. In the middle overs, in the T20 format to play with such a high strike rate is not so easy but it comes so easy for Suryakumar Yadav because of his skill, experience and he's so dexterous."

During the second T20I against South Africa, SKY became the fastest to reach 1000 T20I runs in terms of balls faced (573). Australia’s Glenn Maxwell (604 balls) held the previous record.