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Former Indian spinner, Harbhajan Singh, is confident that Suryakumar Yadav, the top-ranked T20I batsman, could be the key player for India in the ongoing Men’s T20 World Cup. Despite only scoring two runs in India’s recent victory over Ireland, Yadav is expected to shine in the crucial match against Pakistan at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium this Sunday.
With an impressive record of 2,143 runs at an average of 44.64 in 61 T20Is, including four centuries and 17 half-centuries, Yadav has established himself as a formidable force in the shortest format of the game. His ability to wreak havoc on opposition bowlers has been consistently demonstrated, making him a valuable asset for the Indian team.
“As far as I am concerned, I would go in for a great bowler, though I have my own liking towards Suryakumar Yadav. I think he is someone who could be a game changer for India throughout this tournament. Even though he didn’t get going the other day.”
“But Suryakumar Yadav, when he plays those 10 or 15 balls, he will probably score those winning runs for team India. At any position, he will go on to bat, he will play for the team. So, for me, Suryakumar Yadav would be the biggest game changer for team India in this World Cup,” said Harbhajan in a Star Sports Press Room event held at New York.
Navjot Singh Sidhu, a former Indian batsman, has chosen fast-bowling ace Jasprit Bumrah as his standout player for the tournament. Similarly, ex-pacer Lakshmipathy Balaji also identified Bumrah as a key figure, and additionally included Rishabh Pant in his list. Bumrah’s exceptional performance, earning him the Player of the Match award for his economical 2-6 spell against Ireland, further validates his importance to the team.
Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant, the left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman, has been designated as India’s number three batsman for the T20 World Cup. He has showcased his prowess in this role with impressive scores of 52 in the warm-up match against Bangladesh and an unbeaten 36 in the tournament opener versus Ireland.
“For me, as Rishabh Pant has shown, that kind of aggressive option in the top order, that is probably going to little bit take on the opposition with a number of aggressive options. At the same time, Bumrah (too is a key player for India).”
“For me he is the most important guy because the way he has developed after injury, coming back from injury, back surgery, it’s not that easy. He has developed into a next level bowler after injury. That is something which is not that easy. He is going to be a big bowler in the upcoming match,” he added.
