IND vs ENG 2022: "If there is someone in the world who can play 360 degrees at the moment, it is Suryakumar Yadav" - Parthiv Patel heaps praise on centurion's versatility

Former India wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel believes Suryakumar Yadav's ability to exploit all parts of the ground is second to none. The 31-year-old middle-order became the fifth Indian man to score a T20I century during the third match against England at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, on July 10.

Yadav came in to bat at 13/2, with the visitors chasing a mammoth 216. The right-handed batter built a partnership with Shreyas Iyer (28 off 23), accumulating runs from all parts of the ground.

Yadav accelerated upon reaching his fifty and took India closer to the target. He was eventually dismissed by Moeen Ali in the penultimate over, perishing after a splendid knock of 117 from just 55 deliveries.

Claiming that the contest would be known for Suryakumar Yadav's masterclass, Parthiv Patel said on Cricbuzz:

"While both teams made over 200 in this match, this match will be known for his innings. I always believe that if a player can score a six at fine-leg and cover, the bowler does not have many options. If there is someone in the world who can play 360 degrees at the moment, it is Suryakumar Yadav."

The Mumbai-born player scored the bulk of his runs behind square, especially targeting fine leg. Yadav's wide range of strokeplay, coupled with his penchant for unorthodox shots, has made him a bowler's nightmare.

He has been one of India's most consistent batters since his T20I debut and seems to have sealed his spot in the middle order for this year's T20 World Cup.

Believing that it will take a while to see a better knock than Suryakumar Yadav's innings against England, Patel added:

"He does not even take risks. The shot selection is very good, so is the control. He showed this throughout the IPL and has been showing this for Indian cricket as well for a while. This might be the best knock in Indian T20I history, despite coming in a losing cause. It will take a while to see a better innings than this."

Despite scoring over half of the team's runs, Yadav's effort ended in vain as India fell short by 17 runs. However, Rohit Sharma’s side secured the three-match T20I series by a 2-1 margin.

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"He is a certain pick for the T20 World Cup now" - RP Singh on Suryakumar Yadav

The primary objective for India in the T20I series was to try and find the ideal combination for the upcoming T20 World Cup, while also testing their bench strength. While the task is far from done, Suryakumar Yadav might be one of the first names in the World Cup squad with his exceptional recent performances.

Opining that Yadav will definitely feature in the World Cup after his debut century, former India bowler RP Singh said on the same Cricbuzz panel:

"He reads the game very well. If someone had provided support from the other end, the result might have been different. We all knew he is capable of playing such an innings. He is a certain pick for the T20 World Cup now."

India will now take on England in a three-match ODI series that begins July 12 (Tuesday).