IPL 2023 | AB de Villiers' advice to Suryakumar Yadav: Stick to basics
SKY with MI batting coach Kieron Pollard [Source: Twitter]
Ruling the T20I batting charts, India's Suryakumar Yadav needs no introduction. Since making his debut back in 2021, the explosive batter has craved a niche for himself in the shortest format of the game and has already amassed 1,675 runs at an average of 46.52 and an astounding strike rate of 175.76.
However, the 32-year-old has of-late faced a lul in form, having scored a hat-trick of golden ducks in the One-Day International series against Australia last month, before making a 15-ball 16 in Mumbai Indians' opening Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 versus Royal Challengers Bangalore.
SKY, as he is fondly called, has often been compared to South Africa's belligerent batter AB de Villiers, who was the original Mr.360.
Currently doing commentary in India, de Villiers has advised Yadav to go back to "basic'' and not drastically change his game plan.
As quoted by PTI, the former RCB player stated that Yadav should not get burdened by expectations of him, while citing his own example.
Here's what ABD said
“He has got to stick to what has been working for him over the years. Yes, maybe, he can try and remember ‘what are my basics’ or ‘what did I do very well when I was just consistently scoring runs’ and because obviously he took his game to a completely different level,
I sometimes had to tell myself, ‘you know what AB let’s be honest here, you are not reading the ball very. Just make sure you go run-a-ball and give Virat the strike or just get someone else on’. And then slowly and surely I get one good shot and then I am back in the game.”
Yadav is a key component in the Mumbai Indians squad if they want to lift their sixth IPL trophy.
The Rohit Sharma-led side will take on Chennai Super Kings at Wankhede on Saturday in their first home game this season.
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