If Surya doesn’t fire, India will struggle to get 140-150: Sunil Gavaskar

Suryakumar Yadav played a stupendous knock against Zimbabwe at Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The former India batter and legend Sunil Gavaskar stated that Team India would struggle to score 140-150 if Suryakumar Yadav fails to fire with the bat.

The 32-year-old Suryakumar continued his red-hot form in the tournament and is currently the second-highest run-scorer for team India in the 2022 edition of the T20 World Cup.

The Mumbai batter has scored 225 runs in five matches at an astonishing strike rate of 193.96 and an average of 75. He played a stupendous knock of unbeaten 61 off 25 balls against Zimbabwe on Sunday, November 6.

His flamboyant knock helped India post a mammoth total of 186 runs on the board, which India bowlers defended successfully, registering a thumping 71 runs victory to finish the league stage at the top of the table.

Weighing in on the right-handed batter’s scintillating knock against Zimbabwe at Melbourne Cricket Ground, here’s what Gavaskar told India Today:

“Each of those innings was pretty much 360 degrees. He is the new Mr. 360 degree. There was that one shot that he hit for a six just to the left of the wicketkeeper.”

“Then he went a little squarer in the final overs, for example, taking advantage of the angle that the bowler was trying to aim at. Then also the lofted extra cover drive, he has got every shot in the book. There was a straight drive as well.”

Reflecting on Suryakumar Yadav’s innings he played in the tournament so far, Gavaskar said he is the new Mr. 360-degree batter and if he fails to score, India would struggle to get 140-150 runs on the board.

“He is actually turning out to be the player who is taking India to totals which you can defend. The score India got was the highest T20I score at the MCG. Without his 61 not out, India would not have reached even 150,” he stated.

“I think at the moment, there are two batters who are in prime form, Kohli and Suryakumar. It was also good to see KL Rahul get yet another half-century, but he has to look to get more than that for a simple reason. If Surya doesn’t fire, then India will struggle to get 140-150. It’s therefore very important for Rahul to keep going,” Gavaskar added.