Wasn't his most fluent innings: Dinesh Karthik on Suryakumar Yadav's knock in Lucknow

Suryakumar scored 26* off 31 balls in Lucknow vs New Zealand (Associated Press)

Despite winning the 2nd T20I  against New Zealand, India and Suryakumar Yadav had an awful day at the office in Lucknow's Ekana Cricket Stadium. The conditions offered weren't ideal for batting and rather a rank-turner, which is like a full moon night in white-ball cricket.

Suryakumar was adjourned the Player of the Match on Sunday for his 26* off 31 deliveries in a chase of 100 runs. However, it wasn't a fluent display of batting from the Number 1 T20 Batter, as he was beaten on various occasions both off spinners and seamers.

India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik, who is currently wearing an analyst hat's, while talking about Surya's scratchy knock, critiqued his shot selections on Cricbuzz.

"His choice of shots was interesting. I think he was trying throughout the innings to be the speedboat that he is. For example, he went for that massive sweep on a big ground even though all four fielders were back on the leg side and that was not the best option for me," the T20 World Cup-winning player cited.

"That is an area he needs to keep improving on. To get those boundaries in these chases and try and be very effective at it," he further added.

Karthik, who last played for India in the T20 World Cup 2022, also tipped on how to play on such rank-turners but touted Surya's knock in Lucknow as one of his worst innings, tactically and fluency-wise as well. 

"The wicket is slow, the bowler is not bowling very fast and you are trying to clear deep square leg on a big boundary. The odds are stacked heavily against you and that is why I say that while it wasn't his most fluent innings, tactically it wasn't his best either. The good thing is that he stayed till the end and made it happen and that was nice," Karthik concluded. 

The Mumbai batter is also a part of India's Test squad for the first two Test matches to face Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy, starting at Nagar from February 9. However, Surya's undercooked technique against spinners might get challenged by Nathan Lyon and company.

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