"Suryakumar Yadav is a completely different class as compared to Shreyas Iyer" - Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir believes Suryakumar Yadav is in a different league as a T20 batsman compared to Shreyas Iyer.

Yadav is part of India's 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Iyer, on the other hand, is part of the three standbys alongside Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur.

During a discussion on the Star Sports show Follow the Blues, Gautam Gambhir was asked about the two batsmen. The question posed was whether it was Shreyas Iyer's injury or the range and temperament that Suryakumar Yadav has shown that has helped the latter pip the former to the post. He responded:

"Suryakumar Yadav is a completely different class as compared to Shreyas Iyer. He is much more versatile. He is much more unorthodox as well and in T20 cricket you want people who are unorthodox."

The former India opener added that Suryakumar Yadav has a full array of shots at his disposal. Gambhir elaborated:

"You want people who can hit that ball in different areas. He can lap you, he can late cut you, he can hit you over extra cover, he has got all the shots, especially at No.4."

Suryakumar Yadav has set the stage alight in the four T20Is he has played for Team India. He has smashed 139 runs at a strike rate of 169.51 and has hit two fifties in three innings.

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"Suryakumar Yadav has got both kinds of game which probably Shreyas Iyer doesn't have" - Gautam Gambhir

Suryakumar Yadav has been prolific for the Mumbai Indians as well

Gautam Gambhir highlighted that Suryakumar Yadav can adjust his game to the demands of the situation. He explained:

"Somtimes, No.4 is the most tricky position to bat in T20 cricket. Probably the easiest is the top three but No.4, sometimes you might be in when you have lost two early wickets and sometimes you come into the middle when you are 120/2 and then you have got to continue with that momentum. So, Surya has got both kinds of game which probably Shreyas Iyer doesn't have."

The 39-year-old acknowledged that Shreyas Iyer having recovered recently from a serious injury, could also have played a role in his omission. Gambhir said:

"You have also got to be mindful that he is coming off a serious injury and you never know what kind of a form he would be in the second leg of the IPL as well. So, they have gone with someone who has done really well since he has got into international cricket."

The Indian selectors could have opted to keep both Yadav and Iyer in the 15-man member squad, with the latter coming in at the expense of probably Ishan Kishan or a spinner. However, they may have refrained from going that route due to question marks over Iyer's fitness.