"He is not bothered about what happened in the last innings"

Ravi Shastri has lauded Suryakumar Yadav for playing according to the situation and not being concerned about his cheap dismissal in the previous game.

Yadav smashed an unbeaten 34 off just 25 balls in the second ODI between India and New Zealand in Hamilton on Sunday, November 27. His unbroken 66-run second-wicket partnership with Shubman Gill (45* off 42) helped the Men in Blue reach a score of 89/1 in 12.5 overs before the game was called off due to rain.

During a post-match discussion on Prime Video, Shastri was asked about his views on Yadav's knock and his reverse-swept six off Michael Bracewell's bowling. He responded:

"It was a good sweep. The beauty about it is that he is not bothered about what happened in the last innings. He leaves that behind. He sees there is a sense of urgency needed, it's a 29-over game now, you need to get on with it."

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The former Indian coach highlighted that the opposition bowlers are at the Mumbai batter's mercy if they don't dismiss him early in his innings, elaborating:

"He takes his chances. One thing is he will always give the bowlers chances in the first eight to ten balls he plays. It's your best chance of getting him early because he is going to take his chances. But if gets through that period, then he can make you pay for it."

Yadav was caught behind for just four runs in the first ODI against the Kiwis. The failure did not inhibit his strokeplay in Sunday's game as he took the attack to the Black Caps bowlers, smoking two fours and three sixes in the 25 balls he faced.

"He is just phenomenal" - Simon Doull on Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav is known for playing unconventional shots.

Simon Doull believes Yadav's early dismissal in the last game was an anomaly. He said:

"He is just phenomenal. There was a little blip the other day at Eden Park, hitting that gorgeous four and then nicking off to a beauty from Lockie Ferguson."

The former New Zealand pacer added that the shortened ODI was right down Yadav's alley, explaining:

"It's funny, as soon as you shorten the game a little bit, because his numbers in 50-over cricket are nowhere as good as his numbers in T20 cricket, Suryakumar Yadav comes into it. He is such a brilliant player."

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The second ODI had already been reduced to a 29-over affair when Suryakumar Yadav walked out to bat. The Mumbai Indians player, who batted at No. 5 in the previous game, was even sent up the order to press the accelerator pedal in the rain-shortened game.