3 min learnUp to date: Feb 22, 2026 08:59 AM IST
Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has criticised Suryakumar Yadav’s excessively cautious batting method within the ongoing T20 World Cup, insisting that it units a “harmful” template for the group within the format. On the eve of India’s Tremendous 8 opener in opposition to South Africa on the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Manjrekar referred to as out the India captain’s watchful batting which was not like his normal avatar that bats with abandon.
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Manjrekar lauded the captain’s 84-run knock within the event opener in opposition to the USA of America in Mumbai, lifting the aspect from the doldrums — from 77 for six — to a match-winning knock together with his calibrated method. Nevertheless, with a shaky top-order show so far within the event, Suryakumar has continued to keep up the tempo all through the group levels.
“There’s something that I’m seeing in Suryakumar Yadav which I’m not liking an excessive amount of. 77-6, India in opposition to USA, on the Wankhede, and Suryakumar Yadav needed to change his sport, which he did brilliantly. Simply slowed down a bit of bit, after which exploded, and received an excellent rating, participant of the match, and all the things,” Manjrekar mentioned on his Instagram web page.
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“Since then, I believe he takes {that a} bit too far. Towards Pakistan, the place India misplaced a few wickets, he actually pulled down the shutters quite a bit. Him and Tilak Varma are each enjoying barely conservatively, and ultimately, what occurs is that folks like Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, and Rinku Singh, aren’t actually tapped into sources as a lot,” he continued.
Suryakumar has aggregated 164 runs thus far within the event, solely second to Ishan Kishan amongst Indian batters. Nevertheless, his sluggish 136.13 strike fee stands approach behind Kishan who leads the charts with a 202.29 strike fee.
“In T20 cricket, that may be a harmful factor to do, the place a senior participant or captain looks like he has received to remain in, particularly whereas batting first. When you find yourself setting targets of 200 plus, when you’ve got any individual within the prime 4 who believes that he’s the man who has received to regulate the innings and ensure he’s the one who will take India to a sure rating, that may be a very harmful tactic. No batter should assume like that. So, Surya should be cautious about that,” Manjrekar defined.