"Runs coming from his bat is an auspicious sign for India" - Harbhajan Singh on Suryakumar Yadav regaining form ahead of 2024 T20 World Cup Super 8s
Harbhajan Singh reckons Suryakumar Yadav's return to run-scoring ways is auspicious for India ahead of the Super 8 stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup. He noted that the unconventional batter is the biggest match-winner in the Men in Blue's lineup.
India sealed a Super 8 spot with wins in their first three Group A games in New York against Ireland, Pakistan and the United States of America respectively. Their final group game against Canada in Florida on Saturday, June 15, was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
During a discussion on Star Sports, Harbhajan was asked about the importance of Suryakumar regaining his form with a half-century against the USA.
"It's extremely important. We always talk about match-winners. I feel Suryakumar Yadav is the biggest match-winner in this team because the day he plays, he not only wins the match but takes the match far away from the opposition. The opposition can't even think that they can win the game," he responded.
"He is a special player. He is a different-level player. It's good that runs came from his bat that day because if those runs hadn't come, it could have been a cause for worry. However, runs coming from his bat is an auspicious sign for India," the former India spinner added.
Harbhajan noted that Suryakumar's presence in the middle eases the nerves in the dressing room.
"It's a great sign for the dressing room as well because when he bats, the dressing room is absolutely calm. They know that until he is there, he will win the match and come out."
Suryakumar aggregated a paltry nine runs in his first two innings in the ongoing T20 World Cup. He followed that up with an unbeaten 50 off 49 deliveries in India's seven-wicket win against the USA.
"He is playing in the reverse V" - Navjot Sidhu on Suryakumar Yadav's scoring areas
In the same discussion, Navjot Singh Sidhu noted that Suryakumar Yadav's scoring areas leave the opponents stunned.
"He has made areas where playing shots was considered a crime his own. Almost 40% of the runs in his innings were in the fine-leg area. He is playing in the reverse V. He is doing a 360-degree attack. So you cannot set a field. When you cannot set a field, you are left stunned," he said.
The former India opener added that SKY, as he is popularly known, is one of the few game-changers in world cricket.
"The pace at which he scores, if he scores more than 50, he will win the match. Very few players play at that pace. Maybe Hardik Pandya and Travis Head, that too with the new ball against the short ball. There are very few game-changers," Sidhu observed.
Suryakumar has smashed 2,200 runs at a strike rate of 168.06 in 60 T20I innings. He has struck four centuries and 18 half-centuries, with 17 50-plus scores coming in Indian wins.