01 January,2022 08:35 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure
Suryakumar Yadav in a T20I against England at Motera last March. Pic/AFP
Mumbai boy Suryakumar Yadav has been quite an achiever in first-class cricket and in the Indian Premier League for over a decade - 5,326 first-class runs from 77 games and 2,341 in 115 IPL matches. The year 2021 saw the attacking batsman earn his India cap and did reasonably well to score 124 in three ODIs and 244 in 11 T20I games. Suryakumar, 31, was also part of India's Test squad during the England tour and recent home series against New Zealand without making it to the playing XI.
Former Test opener and Suryakumar's first Ranji Trophy skipper, Wasim Jaffer feels the new year is crucial for the right-hander to make his mark in international cricket. His first-class debut against Delhi at the Roshanara Club Ground in the capital eventuated in 73 runs in the first innings during December 2010. He played only one game in 2010-11, but was Mumbai's top run-getter (754) the following season in 2011-12 Mumbai lost to Tamil Nadu in the semi-final at Wankhede Stadium.
"This year [2022] is very important for Surya. I think every season from now on is going to be very important for him. He also made the Test squad and that's such a positive because as somebody like him, batting at No.5 or 6, can change the game. We have seen how Adam Gilchrist used to bat for Australia - at times coming at three down and score may be 150-200. Somebody like Surya, batting for a session and a half or two sessions, can change the entire game. Selectors need to back these kind of players," Jaffer, who scored 1,944 Test runs from 31 matches, told mid-day.
Jaffer, 43, who amassed 19,410 first-class runs from 260 games and has 57 centuries to his name, remarked: "Every season is very important, be it an IPL or India games; every game or series is going to be crucial for Surya. He is not in the category of a Virat Kohli or a Rohit Sharma. He still needs to make a name for himself, but he'll get better. A batsman matures at 31 or 32 so, this is the right age for him to make the next level."
Jaffer dished out some words of wisdom as well. "Surya needs to stay consistent. He had a lean patch in the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy [scored 75 in four games]. He needs to take the Mumbai baton forward, the way Prithvi [Shaw] played last season [827 runs] and won the title on his own for Mumbai. So, whenever Surya is available, he needs to take responsibility and win games on his own. Even though he may not be the captain, his performances should lead the way," Jaffer said.
The former opener, who scored a hundred in Cape Town during the third and final Test of India's 2006-07 tour of South Africa, reckoned a fearless and attacking approach is Surya's biggest strength and advised him to never to compromise on that. "When Surya made it to the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team, he was a prolific scorer at the U-23 level. He had a fearless approach and I remember how he used to play shots in his very first season against the fast bowlers - late cuts, across-the-line strokes and sweep shots. Those were signs of him being fearless and loving to take the bowlers on. I am not surprised that he is still playing the same way. He has a tremendous amount of skill. "He should not change his approach, keep playing like this because that is his USP. The way he dominates spinners with some unorthodox shots, I think he needs to keep playing like that in white-ball cricket. It may appear a risky approach for some, but that is his natural way of playing and he shouldn't change his technique too much," Jaffer reckoned.
It will be hard for the Indian think-tank to leave Suryakumar out of their plans in limited overs cricket and with the T20 World Cup scheduled for October-November, the Mumbaikar could look back and say 2022 was a fulfilling year.
