The first T20I of the three-match series between New Zealand and India got abandoned due to rain, and the second game will be played at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Sunday, November 20.
Ahead of the contest, New Zealand batter Glenn Phillips has expressed his admiration towards India’s Suryakumar Yadav and also added that he cannot dream of doing things that the Mumbaikar has been doing on the field.
Suryakumar Yadav, the number 1 ranked T20I batter, has scored 1040 runs in 29 matches with one century and nine fifties at an average of 43.33 and strike rate of 185.71 this year. He also had an amazing T20 World Cup 2022, amassing 239 runs in 6 matches with three half-centuries at a stunning strike rate of 189.69.
Phillips, who himself made 201 runs with one ton and one fifty in the recently-concluded tournament, is in awe of Suryakumar’s audacious strokeplay.
“He (Surya) is absolutely incredible. The things that he does I wouldn’t even dream of doing. I would love to try but we have very different games. The wrist strength that he’s got to be able to hit balls for six in extremely awkward areas is a talent you rarely see,” Phillips was quoted as saying by stuff.co.nz.
Phillips also predicted that on good batting tracks like Bay Oval (Mt Maunganui) and McLean Park (Napier), Suryakumar’s strike rate would be even higher than it was on Australian pitches.
“I could easily see (Yadav’s) strike rate being even higher here than it was in Aussie, with the slightly smaller grounds and the pitches very similar, potentially a bit bouncier with a bit more grass on them. It’s going to be very interesting what sort of strike rates we see here,” the Blackcaps superstar added.
He also mentioned that the “high risk-high reward game” that is played by him and Surya keeps the opposition in the game as they have the danger of getting out if some of their adventurous shots aren’t executed properly.
“I have got my strengths and he has got his, and we go about our jobs in different ways. And the way we both play presents opportunities for the opposition to get us out as well. It’s part of the risk and reward of middle-order cricket in T20,” concluded Phillips.