Ricky Ponting, the incredible former Australian captain and a champion batsman has heaped praise on none other than Surya Kumar Yadav. Infact, he has compared him to another great A B De Villiers. It really is high praise from a great batsman about a rookie who has played only a handful of limited over games and who is yet to play a single test, to be compared with another great cricketer. If SKY turns out to be India’s Michael Hussey, he would have done exceptionally well when he retires. Also, I read a good article in Wisden.com about Rahul. Let me offer my two cents in this blog. Ponting about SKY and a good article in Wisden.
Ponting’s comments about Surya
“Surya (Yadav) scores 360 degrees around the ground, a bit like an AB de Villiers did when he was in his actual prime. The lap shots, the late cuts, you know, the ramps over the keeper’s head. He can hit down the ground,” Ponting said on the latest episode of The ICC Review. I think you’d find him in the Indian team for the T20 World Cup, not just their squad. And if he’s in that team, then I think all the fans in Australia are going to see a very, very good player. It’s got to be in the top four”
Among the current lot, it is Surya who is in good form. Rohit hasn’t had a decent run off late and Kohli is still trying to rediscover his form. Pant down the order is not a good T20 player as he is a Test player. With Rahul, who is expected to open in T20 a suspect at that spot, Surya with his range of shots is an excellent addition to the squad.
Ponting has seen Surya from close quarters during his stint as the coach of Mumbai Indians. He knows a thing or two about the batting of Surya. Nasser Hussain reckons that Ponting is the best cricketing mind around. When such a cricketer says something about a current player, it means only onething, that Surya is good and he deserves his spot in the team.
Where does he slot in?
As Ponting says, Surya must be in that top 4. If the Indian management does finally accept that Rahul is not a top-order batsman and that he will be better suited in the lower middle-order, it will be better to open with Pant and leave Surya alone in the middle. The number 4 slot is his and his own. Pant can take advantage of the field restrictions whereas Surya will able to control the middle and end overs. Especially, during the Asia Cup, India need Surya against the likes of Harris Rauf and the Pakistani spinners. His strike rate is 258 in the final overs. He has scored 88 runs in 34 deliveries. It is an incredible strike rate and the Indian management must be wise to leave him to do his job. He will not disappoint.
Ofcourse, Surya can open the innings instead of Pant but being the best batsman on current form, does it really makes sense to expose him to the new-ball? Someone who has never opened for his state or zone or in IPL? Rohit and Dravid must fully utilise the services of Surya.
About Rahul in Wisden
Abhishek Mukherjee, in Wisden has written a piece about Rahul. I have often said this. Rahul is not an opener. It could be Test cricket or white ball cricket. He just doesn’t like opening. His struggles at the top of the order are a clear proof. In the short formats, his role is in the lower middle order. Preferably number 5 or even 6. That is where he will be able to show is entire repertoire of strokes. For some reason, whenever he opens the innings, he shelves his strokes and goes in the defensive. It is painful to watch.
Rahul does not have multiple gears in his game. He either blocks and bores the pants off everyone or is extremely aggressive. The first part is while opening and the second part is while in the middle order. In T20 cricket, India need the second part rather than the first one.
I have a problem with the author quoting his IPL success quite often. It clearly shows the paucity of runs from the blade of Rahul. In IPL, you hardly get one good new ball bowler coupled with the fact that the games are more or less played on iron boards. All the batsmen will have to do is swing hard at the ball.
I am of the firm opinion that IPL success must never be considered as a yardstick. Even during the last IPL, fans of Lucknow Super Giants were displeased with Rahul because of his go slow attitude at the top. Rahul himself will have to inform the team management that he prefers middle order but it will take a lot of effort on his part to convince them because of his long stint as an opener in IPL and various other T20 cricket.
Career at crossroads
Rahul’s T20 career is at the crossroads at the moment. He is the vice-captain and de-facto captain but his returns are not satisfactory. There are other batsmen like Prithvi Shaw, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Ishan Kishan and the rest who are waiting in the wings. Rahul can neither afford to fail nor can afford to bat slow. However, the same Rahul can have a really good T20 career if he bats in the middle order.
Wrapping up Ponting about SKY and a good article in Wisden
To be appreciated by Ponting, you cannot ask for more. It clearly shows Surya has a future whereas Rahul’s time may not run out for now unless and until he can completely transform his batting and play a refreshing brand of cricket. The Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup will perhaps be his final games if he fails to reform.
Other India blogs