World Cup 2023: Suryakumar Yadav makes a quiet ODI statement against England

Suryakumar Yadav, who perhaps understands the intricacies of destiny, timing and fortune better than most, has seen these elements play out through his cricket career. On Sunday against England, he also underscored the value of application that even has the potential to spark an ODI career turnaround.

Surya showed on Sunday that he can also play patiently when the situation demands, narrowly missed his first World Cup half-century against England but rescuing India from a difficult position at 131/4. During his 47-ball 49, he hit four fours and a six, before being dismissed by pacer David Willey in the 47th over, caught by Chris Woakes at deep point.

His contribution helped India reach 229/9 in challenging batting conditions at the Ekana Stadium, where the ball didn’t come onto the bat.

If all-rounder Hardik Pandya had been fit, Suryakumar may not have got a chance, especially after a disappointing Cup debut against New Zealand the previous Sunday in Dharamsala, where he was run out for two runs after a mix-up with Virat Kohli.

While he was not at fault for the run out, it only added to the intense focus he was under due to an inability to convert his T20 form into the 50-over game. Two excellent knocks in the bilateral series against Australia before the World Cup had not done much to change that perception.

In Lucknow, thus, it was an important statement from him. Walking in after Shreyas Iyer’s cheap dismissal in the 12th over, Surya raised a 33-run partnership with Rohit Sharma, who top-scored with a brilliant 87 but missed out on an eighth ODI World Cup century.

And it also merits a quick career rewind to see why this innings will be vital. It led to an Indian win, but it also should help ease any doubts the team management may nurse over Surya's choice, and perhaps even in his own mind.

Despite consistent performances year after year for IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, his playing style went relatively unnoticed. However, everything changed after he switched to Mumbai Indians during the 11th season of the cash-rich league.

His stint with the champion side helped establish himself as one of India's premier white-ball batters. Suryakumar showcased his ample knowledge of the Wankhede Stadium pitch and made the most of the opportunities that came his way. In a season where MI failed to qualify for the playoffs, Suryakumar shone with his top-order performances.

As a middle-order batter for KKR, Suryakumar let his bat do the talking, aggregating over 500 runs in 2018, including four half-centuries. It was only after he was given the chance to open the innings that he gained recognition as a game-changer. In fact, MI groomed him for a transformation reminiscent of AB de Villiers, a player capable of playing shots 360 degrees.

In 2019, he notched up 424 runs to become MI's second-highest run-scorer. In 2020, he scored 480 runs at a strike rate of 145, and later made his T20 International debut for India. It came as no surprise when he began smashing deliveries from the first ball, displaying remarkable confidence.

"He is a valuable asset to Indian cricket. When we signed him for Mumbai Indians in 2011, we positioned him as an opener to boost his confidence. With just two fielders outside the circle during Powerplay, we made excellent use of his unique batting style," said TA Sekhar, a talent scout for MI.

"Having gained confidence with over 500 runs in each of the first two seasons, he's one of those rare batters capable of altering the course of a game at any stage. Even if India is 0/3, he doesn't hesitate to play aggressive shots. His ability to adjust his shot at the last moment, coupled with his sharp reading of the bowler's mind, results in perfect strikes," added Sekhar.

As the India bowlers made life miserable for the England batters on the difficult pitch, the value of Surya’s knock stood out.

With Pandya unlikely to play in the next game against Sri Lanka in Mumbai as well, with South Africa to follow after that, Surya finally warming up to his ODI role as the business end of the World Cup approaches will be good news.