Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra showered praise on captain Suryakumar Yadav for his meticulously planned and aggressive batting during the first T20I against Australia. Chopra highlighted how Suryakumar’s innovative strokes compelled Australian bowlers to abandon their strategies, effectively falling into his well-laid trap.
The opening match of the five-game series, held at Manuka Oval, was ultimately called off due to persistent rain. However, before the interruption, India had reached a promising 97 for 1 in just 9.4 overs, with Suryakumar leading from the front, unbeaten on 39 runs off merely 24 deliveries. Shubman Gill also contributed with a steady 37 runs from 20 balls.
Speaking on Star Sports, Chopra elaborated on Suryakumar’s exceptional game awareness, which enables him to adeptly manipulate field placements and opposing bowlers’ tactics. “When the runs flow from those specific areas, the game instantly simplifies. Especially on pitches like those in Australia, this particular shot becomes incredibly effective. He just needs to execute one such shot, and suddenly the bowler loses his rhythm, questioning where to bowl next. This is precisely when you walk into Suryakumar Yadav’s trap, and he capitalizes immensely,” Chopra observed.
Suryakumar’s impressive innings featured three boundaries and two towering sixes, including a powerful hit off Josh Hazlewood early in his knock and another against Nathan Ellis just before the final rain delay. The Indian skipper also marked a significant personal achievement, becoming the fastest batsman to reach 150 sixes in T20 Internationals, achieving this milestone in just 86 innings.
Chopra further emphasized the India captain’s rare ability to generate immense power, even when taking calculated risks with his unorthodox technique. “The sheer power he generates while bringing the bat up from below is a truly unique skill. He possesses an incredible quality. It is commendable if you can consistently score runs despite playing risky shots, and that’s precisely why he has dominated the T20 format for such an extended period,” he asserted.
The seasoned cricketer-turned-commentator also pointed out the timely nature of this innings for Suryakumar, especially after a period of lower scores. “He desperately needed to score runs. As the captain of a winning team, possessing vast experience and pedigree, there weren’t any serious doubts about his ability. However, whispers sometimes emerge. When you step onto the field with a bat, you are fundamentally a batsman first, and a captain second,” Chopra noted.
He concluded by stating that Suryakumar’s fluent performance would undoubtedly bolster his leadership moving forward. “It was crucial for the captain to reappear in his formidable ‘Surya avatar’,” Chopra remarked.