January 22, 2025: Ahead of India’s first T20I against England, former cricketer Aakash Chopra shared his insights on Suryakumar Yadav’s performance in the T20 format, specifically suggesting that Suryakumar should bat at number 3. Chopra acknowledged that Suryakumar has had an impressive T20I career, with 2570 runs in 78 matches at a strike rate of 167.86, but noted that his performance in the past year has been less than stellar, with average returns.
Chopra emphasized that batting at number 4 does not seem to suit Suryakumar’s style of play. He pointed out that Suryakumar performs better when he comes in at number 3, as it allows him more time to express himself at the crease, especially when the initial overs yield more runs. Chopra explained that batting lower in the order, as at number 4, gives Suryakumar less time to get settled and impact the game. However, with Tilak Varma taking the number 3 spot, Suryakumar will have to wait for his opportunity, making his role in the T20 series somewhat challenging.
The five-match T20I series will begin on January 22 in Kolkata, with the second and third matches scheduled for Chennai and Rajkot, respectively. The final match of the series will take place in Mumbai on February 2.