After his enthralling series-clinching 112* in the final T20I v SL, India’s star batter Suryakumar Yadav attributes success to tough preparation in the nets
India’s Suryakumar Yadav en route his 112 not out against Sri Lanka at Rajkot on Saturday. Pic/AFP
India’s swashbuckling batter Suryakumar Yadav, also known by the acronym SKY, insists that the pressure he puts on himself while preparing for a match is what keeps him in good stead on the pitch. Yadav, 32, on Saturday, smashed an unbeaten 51-ball 112 against Sri Lanka in the third T20I to pave the way for India’s 91-run win and a 2-1 series victory for the home team.
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“It is really important to put pressure on yourself when you are preparing for the game. The more pressure you put, the better you can play. There is a lot of hard work involved. Some quality practice sessions are also involved,” Suryakumar said after his blazing knock.
His knock, laced with seven fours and nine sixes, powered India to an imposing 228 for five, a total that proved to be too good for the visitors.
‘Dravid gives me freedom’
Surya played shots in all parts of the ground and credited head coach Rahul Dravid for allowing him to play his natural game. “The boundaries behind were 59-60m, so I tried to clear them. There are a few shots that are pre-determined, but you have to be ready for other strokes as well. Most of the time, I try to find the gap, and use the field to my advantage, Dravid lets me enjoy, and tells me to express myself,” said Yadav, who notched up his third international century in just seven months, making him the first player in the history of the game to score three T20I hundreds when not opening the batting.
Interestingly, the head coach interviewed the star batter later through the BCCI’s website, asking him if the delay in playing international cricket has him valuing this success more or has it made him more hungrier. “It does make me even more hungrier now. The amount of domestic cricket I have played, I have always enjoyed playing for Mumbai and I always try to put up a show wherever I go. I enjoyed batting there as well. Yes, it [delay in selection] was a little challenging in the last few years, but I kept telling myself that this is why you play this game, enjoy it, and the passion for the game kept me driving,” replied Yadav, who also became the fastest batter to reach the 1500-run mark in T20Is in terms of balls faced. In 45 T20Is, the Mumbai-born cricketer has scored 1578 runs at an average of 46.41 and a strike-rate of 180.34 with three hundreds and 13 half-centuries.
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‘I just try to find the gap’
Coming back to his performance in the series-decider, Yadav said: “I’m really happy with the way the innings went. A few of my shots are pre-determined, but these are the shots I’ve been playing over the last year and I’m not doing anything different. Most of the time, I try to find the gap, and use the field to my advantage.”
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