Suryakumar made full use of the opportunity to bat at No. 3 against New Zealand.
Suryakumar Yadav has asserted that he is flexible enough to bat at any position in the Indian team after he led the Men in Blue to a 5-wicket win over New Zealand in the first T20I of the ongoing three-match T20I series in Jaipur on Wednesday (November 17).
India won the toss and elected to bowl first, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar brilliantly delivered the first over, dismissing New Zealand opener Daryl Mitchell for a golden duck.
However, Martin Guptill (70) and Mark Chapman (63) added a brilliant 109 runs off 77 balls for the second wicket to help the Black Caps post 164/6 on the board against India in the first T20I on Wednesday.
Rohit Sharma gave a flying start to Team India, as the senior opener added 50 runs with KL Rahul (15) and 59 runs with Suryakumar (62) to take the side over the line with five wickets in hand to take a 1-0 lead in the ongoing T20I series against New Zealand.
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Suryakumar was adjudged Player of the Match for his brilliant knock of 62 runs off 40 balls, including 6 fours and 3 sixes. After the match, the Indian batter said that he has not been doing anything different out in the middle and is just playing his natural game and can bat at any position.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Suryakumar said: “I am very flexible with the batting order. I have batted from opening to No7. I can bat at any position and I am happy with that.”
About his batting position, the right-hander noted: “I am batting at No.3 for the last three years for my franchise (Mumbai Indians in IPL) so it was nothing different. I don't try to do any different. I just am myself and try to enjoy the format.”
He explained, “I have not been doing anything different, just being myself whatever I have been doing since the last 3-4 years. I bat the same way in the nets and replicate the same in the middle. I try and put a lot of pressure on myself in the nets, for example, if I get out I just try to come out of the nets and try and think what better I could have done and it really helps when I play in the middle.”
Meanwhile, the 31-year-old said he was really disappointed that he missed the crucial game against New Zealand in the recent T20 World Cup 2021, but was thankful to Virat Kohli that he sent him to bat ahead of him at number three in the final league game against Namibia.
In the match against Namibia, Yadav scored 25* and he said that opportunities given by the Indian captain a couple of times helped him to gain some experience at the position.
The Mumbai batter further recalled, “I was very disappointed when I missed the New Zealand game with a back spasm. I really wanted to make a mark in the World Cup which I could not. So it was really nice of him (Kohli). When made my debut he was the one who sacrificed his position and let me get at number three against England and he batted at four. He asked me (during World Cup) 'You want to go in?' and I said why not. Really enjoyed coming back not out in that game.”
On the role of batters in the squad as most of them play at top of the order for their franchises in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Suryakumar said: “I feel franchise cricket is completely different when you come to the Indian team you got to be really flexible in your batting order. You have to be ready to bat at any position.”
Suryakumar also spoke about the young debutant Venkatesh Iyer who could face only 2 balls for 4 runs in the first T20I against New Zealand, saying he will soon be seen bowling in upcoming matches.
The batter said, “He has been really working hard in the net session. I have been watching him in the last two net sessions, before batting, he was bowling a lot with Paras [Mhambrey] and also having a lot of discussions with Rohit also. So you will surely see him in action.”
He signed off by saying, “Today, I didn't think there wasn't any need for him to bowl because Rohit used all his bowlers really well and you will surely see him bowl in the coming games.”
(With ANI/PTI Inputs)