"India are no doubt better than Sri Lanka" - Reetinder Sodhi on Men in Blue's T20I series win
Reetinder Singh Sodhi believes that India are a better side than Sri Lanka, and it was just that they struggled to get going in the first two matches of the recently concluded T20I series.
Speaking to India News Sports on Saturday, January 7, Sodhi stated that the Men in Blue dominated Sri Lanka in the series decider. He pointed out that the top order let Hardik Pandya and Co. down in the first two games, but the side were able to bounce back in the final contest.
"The opposition teams are clueless when Suryakumar Yadav is on song," the former all-rounder explained. "This is what we expect from him. Our top order batters struggled in the first two T20Is, and their fluency was lacking in our batting.
"But it all changed in this match, with Suryakumar and Shubman Gill firing on all cylinders. India are no doubt better than Sri Lanka. We were not up to the mark in the first two games, but on this occasion, we completely outplayed them."
Deciding to bat first in Rajkot on Saturday, India posted an imposing total of 228 thanks to Suryakumar Yadav's masterclass. The right-handed batter remained unbeaten on 112 off just 51 deliveries. Opener Shubman Gill also impressed many with his 46-run knock.
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No surprises there as @surya_14kumar is adjudged Player of the Match for his scintillating unbeaten century in the 3rd T20I. 👏🏾🫡⭐️
Details - t.ly/OqK5 #INDvSL #TeamIndia @mastercardindia https://t.co/bbWkyPRH4m
The home team bundled out Sri Lanka for 137, securing a decisive 91-run victory to win the three-match series 2-1.
"Spinners have no idea where to bowl against him" - Rajkumar Sharma on Team India's Suryakumar Yadav
During the aforementioned discussion, Virat Kohli's childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma stated that it is very tough for spinners to bowl against Suryakumar Yadav.
He also mentioned that the dynamic batter is capable of hitting the same ball in different parts of the ground, making it incredibly challenging for left-arm spinners and right-arm leg spinners. Sharma added:
"Suryakumar has all the shots in his arsenal. I have seen him in domestic cricket, and spinners have no idea where to bowl against him, especially left-arm spinners and leg spinners. He can hit the same ball over the covers, towards the mid-wicket, and also play the sweep shot. He is a master at finding gaps."
In the same video, Saba Karim also lauded Suryakumar for his consistent performances in T20Is. He highlighted how the player has managed to score runs at a brisk pace, despite having to bat after the powerplay on most occasions.
Karim elaborated:
"Most of Suryakumar Yadav's big knocks have come while batting at No.4. It means that he has scored runs at a brisk pace after the powerplay overs. There are no other batters in world cricket who can play like Suryakumar in the middle overs. His strike rate is right up there against both spinners and pacers."
Picture perfect! 📷
#TeamIndia https://t.co/N68FerBHOk
Following the completion of the T20I series, India and Sri Lanka will now compete in a three-match ODI series. The series opener will be played in Guwahati on Tuesday, January 10.