"From 1 to 6, he can bat anywhere" - Parthiv Patel hails 'versatile' Suryakumar Yadav

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel hailed Suryakumar Yadav as a versatile batter after his knock in the first T20I against West Indies in Kolkata on Wednesday.

Chasing 158, India raced away courtesy skipper Rohit Sharma’s 19-ball 40. However, following his dismissal, the hosts slipped to 114 for 4. Suryakumar (34* off 18) and Venkatesh Iyer (24* off 13) then featured in an unbroken stand of 48 to guide India to a six-wicket victory. Suryakumar struck five fours and a six in his nerveless innings.

Praising the batter after India’s win in the first T20I, Parthiv said during a discussion on Cricbuzz:

“After the brilliant start by Rohit Sharma, the way Suryakumar Yadav and Venkatesh Iyer finished the game is a good sign for Indian cricket. It shows that we are looking at options for new finishers. When Hardik Pandya is fit, I am sure he will return. But Suryakumar Yadav once again showed his versatility. From 1 to 6, he can pretty much bat anywhere.”

Former Indian left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra shared similar sentiments and attributed Suryakumar’s success to his ability to play slow bowling in an adept manner. He explained:

“For a middle-order batter, it is very important to play spin very well. And Suryakumar has been doing well in that aspect for the last year and a half. He is a big plus for the Indian T20 team. He always shows calmness and confidence under pressure, which is very important for a No. 5 or No. 6 batter.”

Before his unbeaten knock on Wednesday, the 31-year-old registered scores of 34*, 64 and 6 in the ODI series against West Indies.

“When Rohit comes to Eden Gardens, that connection just happens” - Parthiv Patel

Before Suryakumar got into the act, it was Rohit who gave the innings momentum with a sparkling knock. The captain smashed four fours and three sixes in his blazing knock.

Reflecting of Rohit’s innings, Parthiv stated that it was another illustration of the special bond he shares with Eden Gardens. Parthiv said:

“Players have a love affair of sorts with certain grounds. And when Rohit comes to Eden Gardens, that connection just happens. When he steps out here, he just seems to get a different kind of confidence. But West Indies bowlers allowed Rohit to kick-start his innings with some poor bowling in the initial overs."

Rohit smashed a hundred on Test debut against West Indies back in 2013. His record ODI score of 264 was also registered at this venue, against Sri Lanka in 2014.