Harbhajan Singh believes its a positive development for India as Suryakumar Yadav finds his form again before the crucial Super 8 stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup. He emphasized that this unique batsman is the ultimate gamechanger in the Men in Blues squad.
India secured a Super 8 place by winning their first three Group A games in New York against Ireland, Pakistan, and the United States of America. Their last group game against Canada in Florida on Saturday, June 15, was called off before a single ball was bowled.
During a Star Sports interview, Harbhajan was questioned about the significance of Suryakumar Yadav recovering his form with a half-century against the US.
“It’s extremely important. We always talk about match-winners. I feel Suryakumar Yadav is the biggest match-winner in this team because the day he plays, he not only wins the match but takes the match far away from the opposition. The opposition can’t even think that they can win the game.”
“He is a special player. He is a different-level player. It’s good that runs came from his bat that day because if those runs hadn’t come, it could have been a cause for worry. However, runs coming from his bat is an auspicious sign for India.”
Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh observed that Suryakumar Yadav’s presence in the middle calms anxieties in the dressing room.
“It’s a great sign for the dressing room as well because when he bats, the dressing room is absolutely calm. They know that until he is there, he will win the match and come out.”
Harbhajan Singh
Suryakumar Yadav faced a challenging start tallying a mere nine runs in his opening two innings during the ongoing T20 World Cup. Nevertheless he orchestrated a remarkable comeback culminating in an unbeaten 50 off 49 deliveries in Indias decisive sevenwicket victory against the USA.
“He is playing in the reverse V” – Navjot Singh Sidhu on Suryakumar Yadav’s scoring areas
In the same conversation, Navjot Singh Sidhu mentioned how Suryakumar Yadav’s scoring areas left opponents astonished.
“He has made areas where playing shots was considered a crime his own. Almost 40% of the runs in his innings were in the fine-leg area. He is playing in the reverse V. He is doing a 360-degree attack. So you cannot set a field. When you cannot set a field, you are left stunned.”
Navjot Singh Sidhu
The former India opener also stated that SKY, as he is well called, is one of the few game changers in international cricket.
“The pace at which he scores, if he scores more than 50, he will win the match. Very few players play at that pace. Maybe Hardik Pandya and Travis Head, that too with the new ball against the short ball. There are very few game-changers.”
Navjot Singh Sidhu
Suryakumar scored 2,200 runs with a strike rate of 168.06 in 60 T20I innings. He has four centuries and eighteen half-centuries, with 17 50-plus performances coming in Indian victories.