Suryakumar Yadav’s batting position in India’s T20I squad was never in doubt. In the regular team alongside skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Suryakumar has traditionally been ranked No. In fact, since the 2021 T20 World Cup, he has batted at that location the most times (6 out of 15 innings), scoring 195 runs at a strike rate of 199 and that includes a century. Nevertheless, there is an ongoing debate over his ideal batting position in the line-up, a discussion that ignited in the midst of the recently concluded West Indies series, where he was asked to open in all five matches. And on Monday, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting gave his verdict on Suryakumar’s ideal batting position.
Ponting, in conversation on the ICC Review, was adamant about India’s batsman’s place in the T20I XI, stating that “he played better than anyone else in the Indian team for the last few series” and backed him for a top-order spot. .
Ponting said, “I think it should be in the top four. I said that he (Virat) should stay in the traditional position, which is at number three.” “For Sun, it’s one, two or four. I think he can open, but I think he’s probably, you know, if you can probably keep him off the new ball, then he Let the middle of the game control the outside. Powerplay, from the middle, and if it’s at the end, you know what can happen.”
Ponting seems to have found his number just right for Suryakumar. Since the last World Cup he has batted for India 15 times, Suryakumar’s innings progress shows a significant increase in his strike rate as he reaches the death overs, where it is 166 at the start of the middle overs and 166 in the slog overs reaches 258.8.
Ponting said, “I think in the top four, well, actually I’ll go out on a limb: I don’t want him to open. I think number four is his best.”
The Australia legend then praised the India batsman, saying it is his “confidence in his game and his own skill” that sets him apart from his competitors.
“Suryakumar Yadav scores 360 degrees around the field, a little like AB de Villiers when he was in his real prime. Lap shots, late cuts, you know, ramps over the keeper’s head,” Ponting said.
“He hits really well on the leg side, flicks especially well at deep square leg, and he’s a good player of fast bowling and a good player of spin bowling.”