2nd ODI: I have never seen a player hit the ball to the areas he hits it: Mark Waugh applauds Suryakumar

Indore: Former Australian all-rounder turned commentator, Mark Waugh heaped praise on Suryakumar Yadav for his thrilling knock in the second ODI against Australia on Sunday, at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore.

Coming to bat at No.6, Suryakumar raced to a half-century off 24 balls, scoring 72 runs off 37 balls, and stayed unbeaten. On the back of his knock, laced with six fours and as many sixes, India scored 399 for the loss of five wickets after being put in to bat first.

“He is completely unique. I have never seen a player hit the ball to the areas he hits it. His real skill is to hit the ball where there is no fielder. That sounds simple, but that needs skills. He can manipulate the field and find the gaps,” Waugh told Jio Cinema.

Suryakumar took on Australian pacer Cameron Green and smashed him for four sixes in a row in the 44th over. Suryakumar flicked the first two balls of the over for sixes over fine leg – one square, one extra fine – and then struck a third one over cover. A fourth consecutive six over midwicket made it 24 in four deliveries.

Suryakumar made history when he became just the 3rd Indian batter to hit consecutive sixes in ODI after Zaheer Khan and Rohit Sharma.

Zaheer Khan vs Henry Olanga, 2000

Rohit Sharma vs Suranga Lakmal, 2017

Suryakumar Yadav vs Cameron Green, 2023

Suryakumar also drew praise from former Indian all-rounder and his ex-Mumbai mate Abhishek Nayar.

“Today was tailor-made for him. The platform was set with 10 overs to go in good batting conditions. It’s the dimensions he scored runs today. We saw him go square of the wicket, which he is known for. But the shots he hit over covers and mid-off was impressive,” said Nayar.

Chasing the mammoth target, visitors look a bit in trouble as they have lost the early wickets of Matthew Short and Steve Smith, courtesy of Prasidh Krishna.

As rain halts play, Australia are 56/2 after the completion of 9 overs with David Warner (26*) and Marnus Labuschagne (17*) on the crease chasing the target of 400 runs in 50 overs.

–IANS