Suryakumar Yadav finished with 480 runs from 16 matches with four half-centuries averaging 40, and is former Australian all-rounder and coach Tom Moody’s pick for his favourite uncapped Indian cricketer.
The Indian Premier League 2020 saw many uncapped Indian cricketers rise to the occasion. Youngsters such as Bangalore’s Devdutt Padikkal, Rajasthan’s Rahul Tewatia, Chennai’s Ruturaj Gaikwad and Hyderabad’s T Natarajan not only emerged as finds of this season but also proved with their stellar performances that they can be potential Indian contenders in the near future.
Suryakumar Yadav Bats With Grace, Control And Is A Real Class Act: Tom Moody
The Mumbai Indians batsman has been a pillar of his team’s middle-order batting at No. 3, producing incredible innings. He has scored in excess of 400 since IPL 2018 and has averaged above 30 every time. He scored 512 runs in IPL 2018, 424 runs in IPL 2019 and 480 runs in this season.
“Suryakumar Yadav from Mumbai Indians, coming at No. 3, it is just mind-blowing to think that this guy has not represented his country. He bats with great grace, control and he seems to do it without breaking a sweat. To me, he’s a real class act,”Tom Moody said in a video on ESPNCricinfo.
Uncapped players are usually associated with youngsters. However, since IPL 2018 one uncapped Indian who has stood head and shoulder above the rest and demonstrated unbelievable consistency is Suryakumar Yadav who is yet to find a place in Indian squad despite being 30 years of age and performing brilliantly with bat.
He averages above 30 in List A, First Class and T20s. He was with Kolkata Knight Riders from 2014 to 2017 but mostly batted for Mumbai Indians in 2011 to 2013 and then returning back to the franchise in 2018. He wasn’t successful before 2018, scoring below 200 runs every season.
Suryakumar Yadav Is Player Of Tournament For Gautam Gambhir
Suryakumar Yadav was also chosen by a former Indian batsman and 2-time IPL winning captain Gautam Gambhir as his pick for the Player of the tournament.
“My player of the tournament would be Suryakumar Yadav, because he batted at No. 3 which is a very crucial position and the way he batted. It’s not only about runs, it’s not because he is part of a champion team. It’s just the way he got those runs – with fluency. It was just sheer class and that’s why he is the player for me,” said Gambhir on ESPNCricinfo.
Gautam Gambhir has been vocal of his support towards Suryakumar Yadav and even expressed his surprise when the batsman was omitted from India’s limited-overs squads for the tour of Australia.