The T20 format is known for its robustness and crazy high speed. In a jiffy, the momentum of the game can change. The shortest format in the game of cricket has always been found to be exciting. At any moment, any player can change the match. The shortness of the format of the game helps the audience to engage with the match. The intensity of the match is always very high from the first ball. The T20 format is known for its power-hitting. Every batsman out there has the intention to score the maximum runs possible. This format demands the most from the batsmen, power-hitting, and consistency.
Many batsmen are well known for their power hitting. Jos Butler, AB de Villers, MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, and Rohit Sharma all are power hitters when it comes to the T20 format. The T20 format is all about dominating the game. It is about who is the most influential player on the pitch.Â
The modern game of cricket requires high energy levels to perform, influence, and win. Power hitters are the key to the game. It has been observed that every T20 side has at least one power hitter. CSK has MS Dhoni, Punjab has KL Rahul and Mumbai Indians have Suryakumar Yadav.
2022 has been the year of Suryakumar Yadav. He is sitting on top, boasting the number 1 ranking of the ICC’s T20 batsmen. Scoring over 1000 runs in a calendar year in the T20 format, only the second batsman to do so in the history of the shortest format.
But what makes him a special batsman and different from almost every Indian batsman in the squad?
Read More: New Rules to be Implemented in the Cricket by ICC
Versatility
Suryakumar Yadav is a versatile batsman. He can play almost every batting position. He can open the innings, he can play in the higher middle order, can bat as number 4, and he can also play as a finisher. Suryakumar Yadav is a unique profile. Indian batsmen always tend to continue in the same batting position they start their careers with. The versatility of Suryakumar Yadav is a rare profile in the Indian cricket team. He said in an interview that he wants to be different. He wants to be himself.
Numbers
Power Hitters tend to have a higher strike rate. Suryakumar Yadav has a strike rate of almost 180.0 in T20is. Having scored 1000+ this year. He has 12 fifties and 1 century in just 39 games for India. He is currently the number 1 ICC T20i batsman. Suryakumar Yadav has an average of 42.33 in T20is. He has scored 1207 runs so far and has faced just 707 balls. His highest score is 118 against the ODI World Cup champions England.
This world cup, Suryakumar Yadav has a strike rate of about 194. He is the 2nd highest scorer behind the in-form Virat Kohli. So far in his T20i career, he has hit 118 fours and a whopping 71 sixes. This means that Suryakumar Yadav hits a six every 10 balls. That is an insane statistic. He has been not out 7 times.Â
Body Language
Suryakumar Yadav is a flexible athlete. He is known for playing some unreal shots. Picking up wide Yorkers from the offside and launching them into stands over the fine leg. Not only flexible but also calm and composed on the ball. He looks out for gaps in the fielding and plays shots according to the fieldset. This makes it difficult for the bowling team to defend against Suryakumar Yadav.
Suryakumar Yadav pre-determines the shot he is going to play, before even the bowler bowls. His style of covering all parts of the ground has earned him the title of “Mr. 360°” He has amazing shots in his arsenal, and knows which shot to play according to the field. A batsman who used to play according to the field like Suryakumar Yadav is none other than Sachin Tendulkar. His intelligence on the field has been observed by many plaudits.Â
Suryakumar Yadav has been the best T20 batsman this year. He has been performing consistently and has been extremely dependable in tough situations. His finishing is one of his strengths. He currently plays as the number 4 batsman in the line-up. Hopefully, he gets more chances in the other formats of the game as well.
