“All the batters in T20 cricket are looking up to Suryakumar Yadav – Saba Karim

Former India player Saba Karim has praised Suryakumar Yadav after his heroics against New Zealand in the second T20I at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, on Sunday (November 20). He said that several players worldwide are looking up to the No.1 T20I batter.

Yadav lit up proceedings with an unbeaten 111 off 51 at a strike rate of 217.65, including seven sixes and 11 boundaries. The right-hander played a wide range of shots during his explosive knock.

Speaking to India News, Karim said:

“I think all the batters in T20 cricket are looking up to Suryakuma Yadav. In T20s, you have to bat in a similar fashion.”

The star Indian batter is in peak form this year, amassing 1151 runs in 30 T20Is, including two centuries and ten fifties at a strike rate of more than 180.

---

“He put New Zealand bowlers to the test” – Reetinder Sodhi on Suryakumar Yadav

Another former India player on the same show, Reetinder Singh Sodhi, observed that Yadav looked extraordinary in tough conditions despite the other Indian batters struggling.

Sodhi called Yadav more special than VVS Laxman, who had left everyone in awe with his 281 against Australia in the epic 2001 Kolkata Test.

Sodhi said:

“He just steals the show. The biggest thing to note is that it has come in North New Zealand, where batters fear while batting, your technique is tested, but he put New Zealand bowlers to the test. We spoke about VVS Laxman as a special player; Suryakumar Yadav is very very very very special.”

Karim added that other Indian batters must step up in the upcoming games, as only Yadav shone among the batters from the Men in Blue. Opening batter Ishan Kishan was India’s second-highest run-scorer with 36 off 31. Karim said:

“Only one player was visible on the ground. It was Suryakumar Yadav. Only one Indian batter scored runs. That's Suryakumar Yadav. It’s a wicket where batting was not easy. You want an incredible talent like Suryakumar, who scores at a good pace in such wickets.”

Hardik Pandya and Co. have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series. They will be next be in action in the third and final T20I on Tuesday (November 22).