Barbados (West Indies): As India opens its account in the much-awaited business end of the T20 World Cup, the role of Surya Kumar Yadav comes into focus, what with the testing No 4 slot that he has been assigned to perform in.
Yadav, known for his fiery spells with the bat and audacious 360-degree shots all around the ground, has been a picture of restraint and grit in the ultra-demanding conditions for the batters in the Group Stage matches in America.
His 49-ball half-century in New York was not like him at all. How did a natural hitter like him manage that kind of grit to sport patience and limit stroke play?
"I knew post power play, finding boundaries was going to be difficult on that ground with the wind and a slow outfield. We had a plan – after power play just hit the gaps (and) run hard. It was a little difficult track to bat on but, that day, the situation was different. We had to bat till the end, keeping the wickets in hand. So that's what was running in my mind. I spoke to Shivam (Dube) as well. We were just away from one or two hits and we got the game that way," Surya said at the Kensington Oval where a brown top rests in the middle much to his relief and possible delight.
As the No 1 T20 batter in the world, Surya has a lot resting on his blade. For him, the key is to "know how to bat according to different conditions. How you can change your game, what the team needs at that time. If you can play like that, it displays good batsmanship. I try to do that if the wicket throw is difficult and there is no opportunity."
He tells you with a laugh that he enjoyed batting on the limiting pitches in America too though the Caribbean comes as a relief for batters. "The conditions were different and a little challenging. But we've played here, we know the conditions here, how they react, how they act, so we are very happy to be here," he says.
A brown top is rare in Barbados but Surya is not surprised. "When we were here for ODIs, it was a similar wicket. I don't think there has been a lot of cricket played here in the last 10-15 days. The practice wickets were also good. So, we are expecting that the game wicket will also be much better," he said.
Even the practice pitches were spicy in New York and away from the venue. "They made the conditions after they got to know that there's a World Cup but in the Caribbean, they've been making pitches regularly. So the practice wickets here are much better from what we got in the USA," he added.
Yadav, a player who dotes on ramp shots and scoops, would naturally be unhappy if the ball does not come onto the bat and is limp on pace. But he learnt to navigate that too in his mind. The trick was to 'hit the gap and run hard'.
"Yes, it’s difficult to generate that force when there's no pace on the wicket and when someone has read your game. So, you have to be smart in how you extend your innings. If you can't bat the way you have been batting in the last year or two years, you have to change, according to the situation and what the team demands at that moment. Talk to your partner who's inside, calm your nerves down, and then take the innings ahead,” Yadav said, listing his alien terrain mantras.
Yadav has also set into motion his gameplay against spin, what with Rashid Khan and Shakib Al Hasan waiting to destroy the Indian batting line-up
Cross-bat, short sweep and reverse sweeps are weaponry he sports with elan. "If the wicket is good, that has always been my game,” he said with confidence.
Yes, he knows Afghanistan has done giant killing in this T20 tournament. "We do have plans against Afghanistan, we are focused on our strong points. We do think about the opposition. But, at the end of the day, you should know what your strong points are and back it," he said.
Fielding for him is non-negotiable. "In close, tight games, half chances are important because they decide the game. When you stop two or four runs in fielding and take a good catch, then positivity spreads in the team," he said.
At 34, Yadav is a latecomer into the fast and furious version of cricket. "Yes, I didn't come here as a youngster, but I had played domestic and first-class cricket, as well as IPL seasons. So, I knew when I walk into that dressing room, what would be expected of me. During the most difficult phase of T20 – like between 7 to 14, 7 to 16, - I had thought about that a lot before making my debut for India. If I do well here, if I bat with a good strike rate, then I can be a game-changer on that day. When I kept doing it repeatedly, I felt that this is my game plan going forward. Because if you bat in the power play, you know the players are inside. You can play good cricketing shots and hit boundaries," he said.
"But in between 7 to 15, where can you hit boundaries, where can you step up and take the team ahead at that time so that it gets easier at the death side of it. I thought a lot about this. And I've practised a lot on this. I've done a lot of match simulations. So now when I go to bat in a match, I know the situations. I try to, again, change the game for the team. And I just try and do that. If it works, then it's fine. If it doesn't, then it's fine. We'll try again," the right-handed batter concluded.
