Didn’t want myself to be a one-dimensional player, states Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar showcased a plethora of shots during IPL 2020
|@IPLT20
Suryakumar Yadav has stated that since his breakout 2018 IPL he has been developing a catalogue of shots as he didn't want to be just a single-dimensional player. He also added that his aim in IPL 2020 was to start making more winning contributions for the team rather than just scoring runs.
The 30-year-old Suryakumar Yadav is not an overnight sensation in the Indian Premier League, with his consistent performance a highlight season after season, with him closing in on an Indian cap since 2018. It was in 2018, however, where the right-hander from Mumbai scored 512 runs at an average of 36.57 and a strike-rate of 133.33.
While in 2019, he continued to dominate the proceedings, the additions he made to his armoury of shots was impressive. In the 2020 season, he ultimately capped it all, with a scintillating 360-degree show, leading Mumbai to their fifth title, with 480 runs at an average of 40 and a strike-rate of 145.01, in what was his best IPL season.
Following the impressive season, Suryakumar Yadav, who once again missed out on an Indian cap, stated that he didn’t want himself to be a one-dimensional player, including playing on the off-side.
"Not only before this IPL, I think since 2018 I have been trying to score all over the park. I didn't want myself to be a single dimensional player,” Suryakumar told PTI, reported TOI.
"Before I used to love playing on leg-side, but then later on I thought, if you have to play well and score runs at this level with so much of competition you got to, practise hard and take the other side as well,” he added.
"Then I started practising even more, playing off-side strokes, because I used to love playing Ranji Trophy and in four-day cricket, you can't actually survive playing on one side, then I started enjoying more batting on off side as well, built a few strokes.”
The Mumbaikar also stated that during the start of the tournament, he wanted to not just score runs for the franchise but also win games by taking the game deep with his batting performance. This season, it was well exhibited by his innings against RCB, where he led the team home, with a 43-ball 79.
"I was satisfied with the way things went in the IPL. I made a few goals before going to the IPL, wanted to tick a few boxes of getting more and more runs," he added.
"But when the tournament started I thought, maybe, instead of thinking about scoring more runs, I can think about the contributions I can make which can help the team win. Those impactful performances and then I started focusing on that, maybe a 30-runs or 20 runs off 10 balls or good 50, play till the end and get that runs, which helps the team win."
