3 reasons why Suryakumar Yadav is better than Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer at No. 4 position for T20 World Cup

Ahead of the eighth edition of the T20 World Cup, India have been experimenting with quite a few batters who have shined in IPL 2022. Suryakumar Yadav, Rahul Tripathi and Sanju Samson are likely to audition for the No. 4 spot in the upcoming two T20Is against Ireland.

While the top order looks settled with KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, India’s No. 4 slot seems to be the weak link. The Men in Blue have played four batters, Samson, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant in the No. 4 position in 2022.

While Samson, Hooda and Jadeja were tried in the Sri Lanka series, Pant was given the responsibility in the South Africa series. Unfortunately, none of the four batters were able to produce a single match-winning knock.

Suryakumar Yadav has been performing consistently in the IPL over the last few years. Based on his IPL performances, he received his maiden call-up to the Indian team and has been successful at the highest level.

This year too in the IPL, he has scored more than 300 runs in just eight matches with a strike rate of 145. The right-handed batter looked in decent touch before being ruled out of the tournament with an injury.

Let's look at three reasons why Suryakumar is the best No. 4 option for India at the T20 World Cup, slated to take place in Australia.

---

#3 Suryakumar Yadav has a better strike rate compared to Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant struggled against South Africa at No. 4 position

If you look at reigning T20 champions Australia, they have Glenn Maxwell playing at No. 4, who can strike the ball. India, too, need a batter who can be aggressive from the word go in the same position.

Amongst the current batters, Suryakumar Yadav fits perfectly into this role and has the best strike rate when compared to other batters. In his short career so far, he has amassed 351 runs at an average of 39 and a strike rate of 166.

The other option at No. 4 is Rishabh Pant. He had a forgettable series as a batter against South Africa. He managed only 58 runs at a strike rate of 105. He consistently got out playing shots outside the off stump. Overall, he has scored 741 runs at an average of 34.61 and a strike rate of 124.

Suryakumar looks more threatening in the middle overs as compared to his peers and can come in handy on Australian wickets.

---

#2 Suryakumar Yadav is more versatile as a batter

Shreyas Iyer has struggled against short balls and pace

In IPL 2022, Suryakumar played a memorable knock of 68 runs in just 37 balls to take Mumbai from a below-par 70/6 to 151/6 with his brilliant 360-degree play. After his batting masterclass, renowned commentator Harsha Bhogale said that Suryakumar Yadav was "a genius, currently India's best T20 player currently”.

What makes the Mumbai-born batter dangerous is his ability to play shots to any part of the ground. While Pant is falling prey to outside the off-stump trap and Shreyas is struggling against the short ball, Suryakumar Yadav is more versatile as a batter.

He can play 360-degree cricket, which makes him a must in India’s T20 World Cup squad.

---

#1 Suryakumar Yadav is better suited to Australian conditions

Suryakumar Yadav has a wider variety of shots as compared to Pant and Iyer

Australian pitches are known for their bounce and carry. Suryakumar is adept at playing hooks and pull-shots. His ability to pick lengths early makes him an all-round player.

If you compare Suryakumar to Shreyas Iyer, the former is a better player of pace. In the most recent series, Shreyas has struggled against the quality pace of Rabada and Nortje.

Hence, Suryakumar will be a better bet for India at No.4 on Australian wickets during the T20 World Cup later this year.