AUS vs IND 2025: 'One shot and the bowler goes off plan' - Aakash Chopra lauds Suryakumar Yadav's game-changing approach

Suryakumar Yadav. (Photo source: BCCI)

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has lauded Suryakumar Yadav for his exceptional stroke play in the first T20I against Australia, describing how the Indian captain virtually toyed with the bowlers. Chopra pointed out that Suryakumar’s unorthodox range of shots often forces bowlers to change their plans, only to end up falling into his trap.

The first T20I between India and Australia in Canberra on Wednesday, October 29, ended without a result due to rain. Before play was halted, India had reached 97/1 in 9.4 overs, with Suryakumar unbeaten on 39 off 24 deliveries. Chopra analysed how Suryakumar accumulated most of his runs between midwicket and fine leg, an area where he consistently dominates.

"When the runs come in that area, the story becomes easy. To be fair, the kind of pitch this was or the Australian pitches will be, this shot becomes more productive. He has to hit one shot, and then the bowler goes off plan, where he should bowl next, that he has to do something else, and then you walk into a trap where Suryakumar Yadav hits you a lot," Chopra said on Star Sports.

Chopra praised the top-order batter for his remarkable consistency while executing unorthodox strokes, highlighting the uniqueness of Suryakumar’s skill set. The Indian skipper showcased his flair during the brief innings, smashing three fours and two sixes in his unbeaten knock. He announced his intent early, launching Josh Hazlewood for a six off just the fourth ball he faced. Later, he capped off the innings in style by sending Nathan Ellis over the boundary for another maximum off what eventually the penultimate ball of the game.

"The expectation is that this is just the start. The power he generates while taking the bat upwards from below is a rare skill. He has an incredible quality. You are praiseworthy if you can consistently score runs despite playing risky shots, and that's why he has reigned in the T20 format for a long time," Chopra said.

Chopra was also asked about the significance of Suryakumar’s innings, given his relatively underwhelming performances in T20Is earlier this year. The former India opener remarked that the knock would serve as a timely boost for Suryakumar. He added that such an innings would hold Suryakumar in good stead moving forward.

"He needed to score runs. You are the captain of a winning team and you have a lot of experience and pedigree as well, so there weren't any question marks as such, but there are murmurs at times. When you go to the ground with a bat in hand, you are a batter first and a captain later," said Chopra.

"He has the unique skill of forcing the bowlers to bowl where he wants. However, scoring runs was imperative because when a captain scores runs, his decision-making ability remains at the top. Then you don't think about anything else and can do things instinctively. It was important for the captain to be seen in his Surya avatar," he added.