"I Don't Want To..", MI Head Coach Opens Up On Suryakumar Yadav's Poor Form
Suryakumar Yadav in action [Source: Twitter]
Mumbai Indians' head coach Mark Boucher has expressed optimism that Suryakumar Yadav, struggling for runs, will regain his form in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. Describing Yadav as one of the finest T20 players in the world, Boucher added that he does not intend to heap undue pressure on the beleaguered cricketer.
The swashbuckling batter has been grappling with a prolonged lean patch, scoring three consecutive golden ducks in the recent three-match ODI series against Australia at home. In his opening two fixtures for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, he has been far from his best.
After being dismissed for 15 runs in the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), the right-handed batter could only manage a solitary run against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday. In the post-match press conference, Boucher opened up on Yadav's struggles and offered a glimpse into his coaching strategy.
According to Boucher, Yadav is an exceptionally talented cricketer, considered by many as the best T20 player in the world. The coach acknowledged that Yadav has been short of runs lately but emphasized his faith in the batsman's abilities. Boucher refrained from burdening Yadav with undue pressure. Instead, he sought to encourage him and focus on improving his game.
"Surya is an extremely talented cricketer, one of the world's best T20 players, if not the best. He has not had the weight of runs of late but he is a fantastic player. Hope he can come good for us in the near future. I don't want to put too much pressure on him," said Boucher.
Boucher also acknowledged that slumps in form are an inevitable aspect of cricket and stated that they will back Yadav to overcome this rough patch. The MI coach further added that they will attempt to introduce fresh challenges to help Yadav shift his focus and rediscover his form.
"Sometimes you go through little patches where you struggle for form. We’ll back him and try set him some new challenges to get his mind off his own game if that’s what will help him to try get some good form going into the middle and end stages of the tournament," concluded the South African veteran.
With Mumbai Indians struggling to find their groove in the tournament, Yadav's contribution with the bat will be crucial in their quest for a sixth IPL title.
However, Boucher's vote of confidence will likely ease the pressure on the embattled Yadav and allow him to play his natural game without excessive expectations.
 "Jatin")
