T20 World Cup 2021: “Great opportunity for Suryakumar Yadav to announce himself on a grand stage” - Salman Butt
Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt believes the upcoming T20 World Cup is a wonderful opportunity for Suryakumar Yadav to prove himself on the biggest stage. According to Butt, if Suryakumar can succeed in the event, he can become a hero in India.
Suryakumar Yadav, who will turn 31 on September 14, is part of the 15-member Indian squad for the T20 World Cup. The Mumbai Indians (MI) batter made an impressive international debut against England earlier this year.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Butt admitted that the T20 World Cup will present Suryakumar Yadav with the perfect opportunity to display his talent. He said:
“The World Cup or any other big tournament is an opportunity for youngsters to prove themselves on the grand stage. If they are able to win games for their team in the World Cup, they definitely become heroes and people to be remembered. Their careers get launched on a very high note. It is a great opportunity for Suryakumar Yadav to announce himself on a grand stage. Not only Suryakumar Yadav, but also people like him, who are part of other teams."
Butt added:
“Everyone is criticizing Pakistan’s middle-order at the moment. But if they can perform during the World Cup, their careers too would get a major boost.”
The T20 World Cup will be held in the UAE and Oman from October 17 to November 14.
Suryakumar Yadav’s got all the shots for a no.4 batsman: Gautam Gambhir
According to former India opener Gautam Gambhir, Suryakumar Yadav is an excellent choice for the no.4 position at the T20 World Cup since he has all the strokes in the book.
Gambhir said on Star Sports:
"He can lap you, he can late cut you, he can hit you over extra cover; he's got all the shots, especially at No.4, because sometimes No.4 is the most tricky position to bat in T20 cricket, probably the easiest is the top three, but No.4, because you might be in when you have lost two early wickets and you still want to continue the momentum."
When asked why Suryakumar Yadav is a better option than Shreyas Iyer, Gambhir replied:
"Sometimes you come into the middle, when you have got what... 130 for 2, and you have got to continue with the momentum. So, Surya's got both kinds of change, which probably Shreyas Iyer doesn't have."
Gambhir also pointed out that since Iyer is returning from an injury layoff, going in with the in-form Suryakumar Yadav is a sensible option.