Former India player Wasim Jaffer has backed Suryakumar Yadav to bat at the No. 3 spot for India in T20Is. He added that the premier batter should face maximum balls because of his skill to post huge totals for the team. He said after the World No.1 T20I batter smashed an unbeaten 111 off just 51 balls against New Zealand in the second T20I at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Sunday (November 20) where he smashed seven sixes and 11 boundaries.
Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Jaffer said about Yadav: “It’s tricky for India because Virat bats there, but you would want your premier batsman. I mean, if you select Indian batters, the first name you would put there at this point of time is Suryakumar Yadav. You want him to bat as many balls as possible, and when he does it, you know what he can do. Most of the time, it looked like the score is gonna to 150 or 160, and then Suryakumar Yadav becomes the difference, and it goes beyond 180-190 or even 200.”
However, he scored more than 50 runs in the last five overs to take India’s total to 191-6 in their allotted 20 overs. In response, New Zealand were bundled out for 126 in 18.5 overs as well. Meanwhile, New Zealand legend Ross Taylor applauded Suryakumar Yadav for his calculative and low-risk shots as well.
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Speaking on the same show as Wasim Jaffer, Taylor said: “He still takes calculated risks. Those shots over inside out over cover against the spinners. They are such a low-risk shot option. He had a little bit of luck when he tried to ramp Ferguson early, but I never think he really gave a chance. New Zealand brought up the fielders. He backed himself to hit it over them. He doesn’t try and overhit the ball or try and muscle it over. I think there’s still a lot of skill. They were very good cricket shots.”
Taylor also compared Yadav’s innings with Kiwi stalwarts Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill and Colin Monroe as well. However, both teams will play the third and final T20I against New Zealand in Napier on Tuesday (November 22).
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“It was an unbelievable inning. The way he started, obviously the way he hits the gap. I have seen a lot of good innings in New Zealand. McCullum, Guptill, Monroe, but that would have to be up there with the best T20 innings and T20 hundred I have seen on these shores in the history of the game,” he concluded.
