When it functions for Suryakumar, it functions
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the six-time NBA Champion, is known for his trademark shot, Skyhook. It has also been referred as by many as “the deadliest shot the NBA has ever seen.” The shot, which entails extending the shooting arm over the defender and delivering the ball in a sweeping motion, is very effective and difficult to stop. Witnessing Suryakumar Yadav bat during one of his phases is like to revisiting the late 1970s skyhook. It functions when it does. Furthermore, it is undeniably stunning to see.
After suffering an ankle injury in December 2023 while on tour in South Africa, he missed Mumbai’s first two games while recovering. When he went for a duck in the home match against the Delhi Capitals, everything went wrong and Mumbai was reduced to 234 because all the other batters took advantage of their opportunities. Against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he discovered his groove, and everything changed. Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma established the platform, and with 96 runs needed off 67 balls, Yadav came in to bat at number three. He delighted the audience with his flawless wristwork, picking up slower balls and smashing them for sixes. To get his fastest-ever IPL fifty, he chose a slower back of a length ball and pulled it over midwicket.
Yadav’s plan to uppercut Matheesha Pathirana when the Chennai Super Kings visited the Wankhede three days after the RCB match failed, and instead he discovered Mustafizur Rahman waiting for a catch. It functions when it does. It doesn’t when it doesn’t. That has been the allure of seeing Yadav bat this season, however. He has taken care to maximize his time in the center as an Impact Player.
Once again, he carried out precisely that at Mullanpur. And it was successful this time. In contrast to the match against Bengaluru, when he arrived after a century partnership, he had to establish one with Rohit Sharma today. Without wasting any time, he stole Ishan Kishan’s wicket, blasted two boundaries off Kagiso Rabada in the same over, and brought Harshal Patel aboard with a boundary thanks to deft wristwork. After some difficulty against Harpreet Brar, he ultimately produced a brilliant sweep to keep the scoreboard moving.
After hitting an extra cover six off Iam Livingston, he almost reached a half-century, which he finally reached in 34 balls. After Sharma was removed from the game, Yadav slowed down a little, but he still made Rabada pay for some careless bowling by taking 18 runs off of the South African’s last over. This was not your typical SKY signature inning in which he would bat with a strike rate of 200 or more and force the opponent to concede runs. He had to fight hard for his runs against some of the shrewd bowling from Punjab bowlers, as he batted at a strike rate of 147. But with Yadav, that’s what you get. It’s delightful to see when he has perfect rhythm.
Mumbai scored 192 runs in the first innings thanks to his 78, which set the tone for the team. Mumbai later got the early boost they needed to defend the target thanks to four wickets from Gerald Coetzee and Jasprit Bumrah during the powerplay, but Yadav once again proved that, similar to Kareem’s Skyhook, when it works, he is one of the finest players to watch.
Brief score: Punjab Kings 183 all out in 20 overs (Ashutosh Sharma 61; Jasprit Bumrah 3/21) lost against Mumbai Indians 192/7 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 78; Harshal Patel 3/31).
