IPL 2021: Suryakumar Yadav explains how he developed his trademark flick shot
During an interaction with teammate Trent Boult after Mumbai Indians (MI)'s thrilling IPL 2021 win against KKR, Suryakumar Yadav opened up about how he developed his trademark flick shot.
The 30-year-old commenced his international career with a sumptuous flick off Jofra Archer for six during the T20I series. Suryakumar Yadav also played that shot, this time off Pats Cummins, to reach his fifty in MI's second match of their IPL 2021 campaign on Tuesday.
Talking about that 99-meter six over deep square leg, Suryakumar Yadav told his New Zealand teammate that he cultivated that shot by playing rubber-ball cricket on cement tracks in his younger days. He said in this regard:
“I think during my younger days, I used to play a lot of rubber-ball cricket on cement tracks, where one side of the boundary used to be 90-95 metres. So I think that shot has come from there".
Against Pat Cummins, one of the best bowlers in the world. Suryakumar Yadav shuffled outside the off-stump and thumped the ball over deep square leg. Discussing that shot, Suryakumar Yadav cheekily suggested that he learnt it from the 'one and only' Trent Boult.
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“During practice sessions, please note this clearly, I have learnt this shot from the one and only Trent Boult," Suryakumar Yadav joked before continuing "He has been behind me about how do I play that stroke. I have been really enjoying the way I am going right now, and hopefully, I can continue the same work for the team".
Coming out to bat after MI had lost Quinton de Kock at the end of the second over, Suryakumar Yadav looked at home from ball one.
Suryakumar Yadav donned the aggressor’s hat, even as MI captain Rohit Sharma took his time to get going on a sticky Chennai wicket.
Yadav scored a brilliant 36-ball 56 to register his first fifty of the tournament. His knock was key in the Mumbai Indians registering 152 runs on the board, as the other batsmen struggled to cope with the conditions.
Surayakumar Yadav also talked about how he tried to keep things simple, akin to how Boult defended 15 runs in the last over, while pacing his innings on Wednesday.
“I think similar to when you are bowling and trying to defend 10-15 runs off the last over. I try and keep things really simple, don’t try and complicate them. I know what I have been doing in the last 2-3 years at that position, so I just go out there and express myself. What I do during practice sessions, back home when I am practising in my backyard, so I do the same thing again. When I come here, it is nothing different. It really works for me, so hopefully I can continue the same thing again and again, and I am happy with it,” Suryakumar told Boult.
Trent Boult takes Suryakumar Yadav through the final over
While Suryakumar Yadav performed with the bat, Trent Boult was tasked with defending 15 runs off the final over.
KKR would have fancied their chances of winning the game, as their two finishers, Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik, were at the crease. But Trent Boult had other ideas, as he kept his nerve and executed his plans to perfection.
The left-armer dismissed Andre Russell and Pat Cummins off successive deliveries, conceding just four runs in the final over. Trent Boult admitted after the game that the prospect of facing the two KKR finishers in the final over was an intimidating one. He told Suryakumar Yadav in this regard:
“Obviously, you are just trying to be clear with the plans we talk about in the meetings. It is probably a little bit intimidating coming up against Karthik and Russell. These players can clear the rope pretty easily. But I knew if I bowled the best balls I could, I was in with a chance. It was nice to get the team across the line,” said Boult.
With their thrilling ten-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians are off the mark in IPL 2021. The defending champions now play against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 17 in Chennai.