Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has advocated for middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav’s inclusion in the Indian Test squad.
Shastri’s suggestion came after seeing the difference Suryakumar is making while batting in the middle-order in the white-ball format.
Having made his international debut last year, Suryakumar Yadav has established himself as one of India’s leading batters in limited-overs cricket.
In 34 T20Is, Yadav has amassed 1045 runs at an average of 38.70 and a strike rate of 176.81, including one hundred and nine half-centuries. He has also made a mark in ODIs, scoring 340 runs from 13 matches at an average of 34 and a strike rate of 98.83 with two fifties.
"I'd love to give him a crack at Test cricket as well. If I was captaining the side, he would be very much in the mix for me. Just to surprise the opposition in the middle order and take the game away (from them). I mean, there's no rule that he cannot play in the biggest format of the game," Shastri told Ayaz Memon at a 'Meet-the-media programme' at the Mumbai Press Club on October 12.
Shastri further explained what makes Suryakumar Yadav, currently the No. 2 batter in T20Is, so unique.
"A combination of everything, but what I like about his game is his reading of the game and of the bowler's mind. He's playing with the bowler's mind, with the bowlers' field. He's got the audacity to try and hit the ball against which the field is placed, which means that you need to get into position early. So, I think his anticipation, reading of what a bowler does, plays a huge role in his batting, and he's been brilliant in doing that. You'll see some shots that he plays. I've not seen too many players play those shots. AB (de Villiers) at his prime probably did this for a bit. You don't hit a ball from middle and leg to the sightscreen at the back! I mean, it was an unheard of a shot in our time. But he does it so easily and regularly, that you've to take your hat off to him. He can light up the T20 World Cup," he said.
Ravi Shastri also had special praise reserved for India's current batting line-up.
"I think this is as good a batting line-up as India has ever had in T20 cricket. With Surya (Suryakumar Yadav) at No 4 Hardik (Pandya) at No 5, Rishabh/DK at 6, they've made a massive difference. It allows the top-order to play the way they are playing, which is tremendous-they're taking the attack to the opposition. Where, if you're 2-down in the powerplay, you still have the ammunition at the back, to consistently take on the bowlers, which wasn't the case for some time," he remarked.
According to Shastri, India's star-studded batting line-up will give them a huge chance of winning the T20 World Cup 2022, starting October 16 in Australia.
"The Australian tracks suit their batting. We're one of the best batting sides in the tournament. And once you've the best side of the tournament, irrespective of how your bowling or fielding is, you've a chance to win the cup. You qualify for the semifinals, your batting takes off, you can beat any opposition on that day," he said.
(With TOI inputs)
