Suryakumar Yadav once again showed why he is the one of the best short-format batters currently in the game with his third T20I century which helped India beat Sri Lanka in the third T20I and clinch a 2-1 series win.
Yadav scored an unbeaten 112 runs off 51 balls to help India post 228/5 at Rajkot. All three of Yadav’s T20I tons, which were scored in the last seven months, have come in less than 50 balls.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Yadav credited his hard work in practice sessions for his performances of late.
“It is really important for you to put pressure on yourself when you are preparing for any game,” Yadav said. In your practice sessions it is very important what you do, what process and routines you follow and if you put more pressure in your practice sessions, it gets a little easier in games.”
“There is a lot of hard work involved but at the same time you have got to be doing some quality practice sessions as well. You should know what the game is at the end of the day, how are you going to get your runs on the ground and I just try and keep things very simple.”
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Though he can score all over the field, Yadav has been clinical in using the scoop and pull shots to target the fine-leg boundary against fast bowlers. On asked about his shot selection, Yadav said, “The boundaries behind are actually 59-60m, so I tried to clear them. There are a few strokes which re pre-determined but at the same time you need to have other shots in your armoury. If the bowler bowls some other delivery, you need to be ready with other strokes as well.”
“I do (feel like I am in power) but most of the times I try and time the ball, find gaps as much as possible and use the field to my best,” he added.
Yadav also credited coach Rahul Dravid for allowing him the freedom to express himself in matches no matter what situations he finds himself when coming out to bat.
Speaking to Dravid after the match, Yadav said he found it difficult to rank his three T20I centuries adding,”It is actually difficult to pick one, I just enjoyed myself. I am just doing the same things that I did last year. I have said before as well, I just try and enjoy when I go in to bat, express myself as much as possible. In those difficult situations where other teams try and take the game off, I and try and take them on. If it works well for me and the team, I am happy.”
India will play Sri Lanka in a three-match One-Day International series with the first match to be played at Guwahati on January 10.
Captain Hardik Pandya was full of praise for Yadav’ knock.
“I think he has been surprising everyone every innings that he is batting. He is just telling us that batting is so easy. If I were bowling to him, I’d be disheartened on seeing his batting, with the shot he plays. He has played blinders after blinders,” Pandya said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
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