Suryakumar Yadav vs Shreyas Iyer: Who is more likely to get a middle-order spot in the Indian team?
Suryakumar Yadav is currently enjoying a terrific run of form. He was awarded man of the series in India's recently concluded ODI series against Sri Lanka and has now carried that form into the first T20I against Sri Lanka. He scored a brilliant fifty on a tough batting track to help India reach a match-winning total of 164 runs.
Suryakumar has earned himself a spot in the Indian middle-order however he will be aware of the competition he has to face. Shreyas Iyer, who is currently out of action due to an injury, is one of India's top middle-order batsmen in limited-overs cricket. Iyer has a phenomenal record and will challenge Suryakumar once he is back in action.
Shreyas Iyer played four T20I innings in 2021 and scored 121 runs. He scored these runs at an average of 40.33 and a strike rate of 145.78. What makes these runs even more noteworthy is that they came against a strong English bowling line-up. Iyer also demonstrated his temperament and attacking skills in the series against England.
He scored 67 runs off 48 balls in the first T20I against England, where the second highest score for an Indian batsman was 21. He played the situation perfectly and proved that he can be a dependable batsman for the Indian team. In the fourth T20I he scored an aggressive 37 off 18 balls coming in at number six. He showed that he has the attacking game as well.
Coming to Suryakumar Yadav, the man has been in amazing form over the last 3-4 years. His IPL record is among the best and the ease with which he scores his runs has impressed one and all. He is a great player of both spin and pace and can single-handedly win a game for his side.
Suryakumar Yadav has scored over 400 runs in each of the IPL seasons from 2018-2020. The 2021 season has not yet been completed but looking at his current form it would not be surprising if he scores in excess of 400 this season as well. Suryakumar has been a key batsman in the Mumbai Indians batting unit.
Suryakumar Yadav is currently ahead in the race for the middle-order spot
What has worked in favour of Suryakumar is his recent form with the bat. With the ICC T20 World Cup just around the corner, recent performances will definitely provide him with an upper hand over Shreyas Iyer. Suryakumar has made brilliant use of all the opportunities he has been provided with the Indian team.
He scored 139 runs in his three T20I innings. Suryakumar has an average of 46.33 and a strike rate of 169.51. He has also scored fifties in two out of three innings. Speaking of ODIs, Suryakumar has scored 124 runs in the three innings he has played for Team India. He has done this at an average of 62 and a strike rate of 122.77.
One main point of criticism for Shreyas Iyer has often been the fact that he takes a lot of time to settle in. He is not someone who can go from ball one or put bowlers under pressure. He is more of an accumulator rather than a quick run scorer. This is where Suryakumar Yadav provided India with a much better option. SKY takes on the bowlers from the start of his innings and does not let them settle down.
His ability to play risk free shots and still score at a great strike rate separates him from the crowd. He has a great range of shots and can often surprise the bowler with what he does. Shreyas Iyer is more of an orthodox batsman. He is great at what he does but Suryakumar can be the X factor for the Indian team.
Moreover, the T20 World Cup is just after the IPL and Iyer's lack of match practice comes as a setback for him. However, the IPL will be very important for both Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer. The ICC T20 World Cup is also going to be played in UAE and good performances in the IPL will help both the players strengthen their case.
The remainder of the IPL 2021 is to begin from September 19. However, Suryakumar still has a couple of T20I's left before the IPL. India won the first T20I against Sri Lanka by 38 runs and have taken a 1-0 in the three-match series. The second T20I is scheduled for July 27. Suryakumar Yadav would be looking to continue his good form in the remainder of the series as well.