T20 World Cup 2022: "He does not have the luxury that Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli have" - Gautam Gambhir lauds Suryakumar Yadav

Gautam Gambhir has lauded Suryakumar Yadav for playing a match-defining knock in a comparatively difficult batting position in India's T20 World Cup 2022 clash against the Netherlands.

Yadav smoked an unbeaten 51 off just 25 balls as the Men in Blue set a 180-run target for the Dutch in a Group 2 Super 12 game in Sydney on Thursday, October 27. The Indian bowlers then restricted Scott Edwards and Co. to 123/9 to register a comfortable 56-run win.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Gambhir was asked about his views on Yadav's knock. He responded:

"There is no better player than him in this team. He does not have the luxury that Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli have to bat in the first six overs. When you go out to bat at No. 4, the field is spread out."

Gambhir was particularly appreciative of the Mumbaikar's ability to take the attack to the opposition bowlers from the word go. He elaborated:

"You have to set the momentum and relieve the pressure from the other player. In this entire batting lineup, if there is one player who can hit his first ball outside the ground, it is Suryakumar Yadav. None of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli can do that."

Yadav struck seven fours and a six during his innings. He strung together an unbroken 95-run partnership with Virat Kohli for the third wicket to help India set an imposing target for the European side.

---

"Suryakumar Yadav is the only player who can relieve the pressure on Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli" - Gautam Gambhir

Suryakumar Yadav gave the required impetus to the Indian innings.

Gambhir added that Yadav allows Kohli, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul to play their game. He observed:

"In this batting lineup, Suryakumar Yadav is the only player who can relieve the pressure on Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli. That is why the three of them play the way they want to play."

Gambhir concluded by opining that Yadav and Hardik Pandya hold the key to India's prospects in the T20 World Cup. The cricketer-turned-commentator explained:

"Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya have to score runs if India have to win this World Cup and in the way they have been scoring runs. If you see the stats, the top three will always score runs, they will make fifties and hundreds, but Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya will play the impactful knocks."

Yadav walked out to bat at the fall of Rohit's wicket, with India's score reading 84/1 after 12 overs, and altered the course of the innings. The unconventional batter made batting look easy while the other batters struggled to force the pace on a slightly two-paced surface.