NEW DELHI: India's dramatic win over New Zealand in the second T20I in Raipur drew praise from former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, who lauded Suryakumar Yadav's timely return to form and described it as a major boost for India ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Breaking a long drought, Suryakumar registered his first T20I fifty since October 2024, ending a 23-innings wait in style. More importantly, the Indian skipper rediscovered the flair and confidence that once made him the most feared batter in the format, lighting up the Raipur crowd with his trademark innovation - from elegant drives down the ground to his signature 'Supla' shot.
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Suryakumar's unbeaten 82 off just 37 balls, studded with nine fours and four sixes, carried the weight of a match-defining hundred. The innings came under pressure, with India reeling at 6 for 2, and could not have arrived at a better time, with the T20 World Cup just weeks away.
Speaking on Cricket Live on JioStar, Gavaskar highlighted Suryakumar's smart game awareness, noting how he allowed himself time to settle while Ishan Kishan attacked from the other end. Gavaskar also pointed to the captain's strong off-side drives as evidence of a more balanced and controlled approach, with Suryakumar choosing to play straighter and trust his fundamentals.
"Surya's innings showed that he was aware of the situation. He was batting on 11 off 11 deliveries. In a partnership of 97, 76 were scored by Ishan Kishan. That also shows the skipper's maturity. There was another man batting so well, so he was giving him more of the strike, as well as getting his eyes in, getting the circulation going in the legs with singles and twos, and therefore getting himself ready for the big push," said Gavaskar.
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"After Ishan Kishan got out, he was the one who took the initiative and started hitting the ball. Besides everything else, driving through the offside was a big plus because that means he was looking to play straight as much as possible. Once you have got that, then the other shots can come into play. Eighty-plus not out, a fabulous, fabulous innings and just a big, big boost for the Indian team before the T20 World Cup," he added.
He also highlighted the strong understanding between Kishan and Suryakumar, noting that their long association at Mumbai Indians in the IPL has helped them read each other's game seamlessly.
"When you play for a franchise and spend more than two months travelling all around India, you develop a kinship with that person. Knowing Ishan Kishan's nature, he is a very fun-loving guy. You can see how popular he is in the dressing room. When he came out, Rinku Singh and Abhishek were having fun around him. I think it has got something to do with the new hairstyle that he has got. It is great to see the team spirit in the squad because that's what you want in tough situations," he concluded.
