Shane Watson in awe of Suryakumar Yadav: 'It is rare how he reads bowlers, where fielders are'
Legendary Australian all-rounder Shane Watson is in awe of star Indian batter Suryakumar Yadav, saying that the way he reads bowlers, knows where fielders are and has control over the ball make him a "rare talent".
Suryakumar Yadav has been one of India's star performers in this ICC Men's T20 World Cup. His performances in recent games have led him to gain the No. 1 spot in the ICC Men's T20I rankings. In five matches so far, the batter has scored 225 runs at an average of 75.00 with three half-centuries.
"It is a really rare talent where his ability to really read a bowler, where he is going to bowl and where the fielders are, and his control over where the ball goes, it is a very rare talent. We have not really seen it much before," Watson was quoted as saying by ICC.
"To be able to do it so consistently, to be able to do it in one or two games, that can happen. But to be able to do it so consistently in the big games? He is a special talent and it does not look like anything is going to change. It looks like he is going to be out to continue to do this for a long time. It just looks low-risk, even though what he does is high risk," Watson added.
In 28 T20I innings this year, Suryakumar has scored 1,026 runs at an average of 44.60. One century and nine half-centuries have come out of his bat, with the best score of 117. These runs have come at a strike rate of 186.24. Suryakumar is the first Indian and only the second player in T20I history to score 1,000 runs in a calendar year.
Watson feels that very few have reached the level of skills Suryakumar has despite a great resume in T20 cricket, especially in Indian Premier League (IPL) for Mumbai Indians.
The all-rounder has said that it is absolutely treat to watch Suryakumar bat and the way he has been able to perform in foreign conditions in Australia is something not many have done in the shortest format in T20 cricket.
"It really is a treat to be able to watch SKY bat over the last two years watching him in the IPL and performing as well as he has. But then to be able to turn it on like he has in international cricket as well is something to behold. What he is able to do in these foreign conditions in Australia alone is something that not many people have ever been able to do in T20 cricket," said Watson.
India will meet England in the second semifinal of the tournament at Adelaide Oval on November 10. They finished their Group stage at the top of the table with eight points and four wins in five matches.
(ANI)
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