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Suryakumar Yadav’s presence gives more flexibility to team: Zaheer Khan

Former Indian cricketer Zaheer Khan felt that the presence of Suryakumar Yadav allowed Kohli to open the innings.

By Telangana Today

Published Date - 22 March 2021, 12:05 PM

Suryakumar Yadav’s presence gives more flexibility to team: Zaheer Khan — Suryakumar Yadav plays a shot during the fifth and final Twenty20 international cricket match between India and England at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera.

Hyderabad: Suryakumar Yadav, who made his debut in the T20 series against England made an impact immediately. His presence at No.3 provided an option for Indian team to open with Virat Kohli in the fifth .

Though he could not bat in the debut match, he scored a quickfire half-century in the second and then scored a quick 30-odd runs in the series-deciding fifth match where KL Rahul made way for captain Virat Kohli at the top of the order. Former Indian cricketer Zaheer Khan felt that the presence of Suryakumar Yadav allowed Kohli to open the innings.

“The question one should ask is how it became possible that Virat Kohli could come and open the innings? It became possible because India got a batsman like Suryakumar Yadav. Suryakumar went there and showed what he can do at the no. 3 position. This thinking, I believed, started from there, and then the result was that Virat Kohli said that ‘I can’t keep going down the batting order’.”

“Shreyas Iyer has also been pushed down the batting order. So, he decided that opening the innings could be a better option, let’s try it out,” added the southpaw.

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