India Vs Australia 2nd T20I: Make Suryakumar Yadav Playing Only T20Is In Next 6 Months, Says Aakash Chopra

Suryakumar Yadav smashed a fiery 80 against Australia in just 42 balls after struggling throughout the ODI World Cup with the bat. Aakash Chopra feels the batter is best suited for theT20 game.

Suryakumar Yadav. (Image: AP)

Suryakumar Yadav was back among runs in the 1st T20I vs Australia at Visakhapatnam, stroking a brilliant 80 off just 42 balls to take India home. Leading from the front, SKY smashed 9 forus and 4 sixes respectively to help India chase down the tough target of 209 runs. Surya was one of the batters who had flopped in the final of the World Cup 2023 and Indian fans feel that this innings came four days too late.

Aakash Chopra, the host of JioCinema's daily sports show '#AAKASHVANI,' effusively praised Suryakumar's stellar performance in the opening T20I against Australia in Visakhapatnam. Highlighting Suryakumar's dynamism in the T20 format, Chopra emphasised that the cricketer exudes an unparalleled flair and confidence, making him an unstoppable force on the field. This transformation, according to Chopra, stems from Suryakumar's deeply ingrained approach towards T20 cricket. His adaptability, understanding of the format's nuances, and ability to strategise according to the game's conditions have rendered him a formidable opponent. Chopra noted the opposition's cautiousness evident in their field placements, a testament to their awareness of Suryakumar's game-changing capabilities.

Chopra also shared an insightful perspective on players specialising in specific cricket formats. He expressed that it's not mandatory for cricketers to participate across all three formats—Test, ODI, and T20. Using Suryakumar as an example, he advocated for allowing players to focus on excelling in a particular format rather than pressuring them to be versatile across all aspects of the game. He suggested that Suryakumar could thrive as a T20 specialist and proposed granting him the freedom to concentrate solely on honing his skills in this format for an extended period, approximately six months. This, in Chopra's opinion, could harness Suryakumar's potential as a T20 cricket star without the constraints of multifaceted format obligations.

Furthermore, Chopra cautioned against a scenario where the desire to include a player in all formats might lead to the loss of a remarkable T20 asset. He highlighted the importance of nurturing and retaining T20 specialists like Suryakumar, emphasizing that overlooking their specialization in pursuit of broader team requirements could potentially hinder their growth and impact in their specialized domain.

In essence, Chopra's analysis underscored Suryakumar Yadav's prowess in T20 cricket, advocating for the recognition and cultivation of players' specialized skills in particular formats, thereby maximizing their potential contribution to the game without diluting their strengths across multiple cricket formats.