Suryakumar Yadav is absolutely tearing up the world stage in limited-overs cricket and is currently ranked as the best T20 batsman on the planet. The Indian middle-order batter keeps smashing records, and recently became the first Indian to score one thousand T20 runs in a calendar year.
Yadav was relatively unknown internationally until recently, and at 32 years of age, he’s in the later stages of his career. The question is, can the exciting player go on to be regarded as one of the all-time greats for India?
Yadav’s Scores Have Been Incredible
Yadav has been on such a winning streak over the last year that he’s managed to make India one of the most formidable opponents in the game. In the T20 World Cup, the Men in Blue managed to top a seriously tough Super 12 group with eight points, reigning victorious over other powerful sides in South Africa and Pakistan. Yadav hit some amazing scores in those matches, with his 61 not out from 25 balls against Zimbabwe being one of the paramount innings in the history of the game.
Bettors would be foolish to stake against India when Yadav is on the side because he has the potential to turn any game on its head. As a middle-order batter, he is often tasked with digging the team out of trouble and chasing scores with limited overs left. When you bet here, you’ll see that India are at odds of 11/5 to win next year’s 50 over World Cup. The Men in Blue will be desperate to get some revenge on England, who are placed at 3/1 to win that tournament. Yadav could be at the heart of that, after gaining some vital international experience this year.
Did he Start Too Late?
If Yadav was putting in these kinds of showings for India in his mid-20s, there would most definitely be talk of him going down as one of the greatest batters ever to wear the famous colors of India. Unfortunately for the player, he got his international call-up late on in his career, and he is already on the wrong side of 30. He should still have a few years left in him at this level, but it may not be enough for him to cement his status as an Indian legend.
When considering whether Yadav will be regarded among the Indian greats, it’s also important to remember who he’s up against. The country has produced some of the finest cricketers the world has ever seen over the years, and it’s not easy to get your name on a list alongside them. Sachin Tendulkar is the man to beat, and he’s not only the best Indian batter but one of the greatest ever in the game. He debuted for India at the age of 16 and had a long career to show his consistent excellence.
Yadav may have a chance at going down in history as one of the top T20 batsmen India has ever produced. However, because he hasn’t been tested in other formats of the game, he can’t be mentioned alongside legends like Tendulkar yet. There’s still a chance that Yadav could go on to amazing things, but his age could be an unfortunate barrier.
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