The Indian T20I team is going great guns. They are the world champions in this format. They are decimating opponents match after match. Batting or bowling, they are way stronger than most other teams.
Does it mean everything is fine? Possibly not. Suryakumar Yadav has hit a lean patch. When that happens to the captain, it becomes a cause for concern. In the ongoing Asia Cup, he has made 7 not out, 47 not out, zero, 5 and 12. Not disastrous perhaps, but these returns are below-par in a team where others are making heavy scoring look like child’s play.
Surya is unquestionably one of India’s most effective T20 batter ever. When he is on song, it’s mayhem. Bowlers don’t have a clue what is hitting them. Some of his knocks have been purely unbelievable. But then, is it happening now? The answer is ‘no’.
That makes things a little more complicated. The Asia Cup final is on Sunday. The T20 World Cup is coming up in February-March next year. Surya, as captain, will be expected to shoulder a lot of load, if India are to defend the title they won last year. In that No. 3 or No. 4 position, he is expected to be the fulcrum. In the last few matches, he has not been able to fulfil that duty.
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There is a reason for it. This Indian team under his leadership is brandishing a brand of batting which is all about brisk scoring. No matter the situation or who the batter is, everybody has to go after it. It’s a method which has inherent risks. No batter can be infallible if that is the template.
That way, Surya has been unselfish in his approach. He doesn’t care about his average — which is a formidable 37.95 by the way — and plays for the team. There are players who are more conscious of these figures and play accordingly. Surya doesn’t do that. He leads from the front when it comes to demonstrating the team’s philosophy.
However, runs are important. That’s the parameter by which a batter is judged. It’s the most accurate indicator of what kind of form one is in. Going strictly by that at the moment, Surya has fallen behind some of his teammates. The standard set by others is so high that his failures are becoming stark.
Is that a massive worry? No. The team is winning and Surya can be back to his big-scoring ways any day. The great Indian cricket fan army would like to believe that day is just around the corner.
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