Indian batter Suryakumar Yadav has been the world’s top-ranked T20I batter for nearly two years, but his recent performances have not fully showcased his true T20 batting prowess. Despite his lofty ranking, Suryakumar faced criticism for his failures against Ireland and Pakistan at the IC T20 World Cup 2024. He has managed just 59 runs across three innings. Some even dismissed him as a ‘minnow-basher.’

In a match where Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant and Virat Kohli struggled, Suryakumar demonstrated the depth of his batting skills against the United States of America. He scored a measured 50* off 49 balls at a strike rate well below his usual blistering pace of 168. SKY’s adaptability proved crucial, demonstrating the necessity of such versatility for a batter who is at the top since September 2022.

“If you have held the top spot for two years, you need to be able to bat in various situations and adapt the course of play to suit the team’s requirements. It demonstrates excellent play, and my aim is to do the same,” Suryakumar Yadav said.

“When the pitch lacks pace and your opponent knows your game well, it becomes challenging to generate momentum. In such situations, you need to be tactically smart to extend your innings. Modify your approach to the demands of the game and communicate with your batting partner, and compose yourself before progressing the innings forward,” he continued.

The pitches in New York’s Nassau County International Cricket Stadium were challenging for all teams. Additionally, the slow outfield further hindered run-scoring. The poor playing surfaces and inadequate facilities at the tournament in the USA have drawn widespread criticism.

“Once they learned the World Cup would be held there, they prepared the playing conditions accordingly. Here (in Barbados) the pitches are made and well-kept, which are significantly better than the ones in the USA. Executing sweeps and reverse sweeps has always been a strong suit of mine, and I’ aimed to replicate my performance in practice sessions,” he added,

“I enjoyed playing there as well (laughs). It’s not that we were unhappy playing there, but since it was our first time, the conditions were unfamiliar and a bit challenging. However, we’re experienced playing here in the West Indies, so we know the conditions well. The practice pitches in New York were tricky, which was a fresh experience for us,” he concluded.