“Much like AB, we need to keep him guessing” - Adam Milne admits Suryakumar Yadav a very difficult batter to bowl to

New Zealand pacer Adam Milne has admitted that in-form Team India batter Suryakumar Yadav is a very difficult batter to bowl to. Comparing Suryakumar to South African legend AB de Villiers, the 30-year-old added that it is very important to keep the Indian batter guessing by mixing things up.

Suryakumar was the Player of the Match for his sensational 111* off 51 balls in the second T20I against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui on Sunday, November 20. The 32-year-old slammed 11 fours and seven sixes in an absolutely dominant batting performance.

India and New Zealand are set to face off in the third and final T20I of the series at McLean Park in Napier on Tuesday, November 22. Speaking ahead of the game, which was delayed due to rain, Milne was all praise for Suryakumar.

In an interview with the host broadcaster, he said:

“He (SKY) is a very difficult batter to bowl to, he can hit 360 and is much like AB, we need to keep him guessing and throw him off with variations.”

The Kiwi speedster was also Suryakumar’s teammate at the IPL franchise Mumbai Indians (MI) during the 2021 season. Opening up about his impression of the cricketer during his stint with MI, Milne recalled:

“I sort of saw him when I was at Mumbai Indians, he was a great then and now has gone to a new level, his confidence is up and some of the shots were ridiculous.”

The Kiwi fast bowler played four matches for Mumbai during the IPL 2021 season, claiming three wickets at an average of 43.66 and an economy rate of 9.35.

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“All of us want to bat like him” - Ishan Kishan on Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar's MI and India teammate Ishan Kishan also paid rich tributes to the cricketer, who has been in sublime form over the last year. Speaking ahead of the third T20I against New Zealand, he stated that everyone in the team wants to bat like Suryakumar. Kishan commented:

“I still badly wanted to be at the non-striker's end (when Surya is batting), he makes batting look so easy. All of us want to bat like him. He is so calm every time, I think everything is going according to plan for him.

“Off the field, in the last few years I played with him, he is very professional with his hydration and sleeping pattern and diet. We, youngsters, can learn a lot from him and how he is batting and his energy and work ethic always hundred percent.”

Having made his debut in March 2021, Suryakumar has scored 1395 runs in 41 T20Is at an average of 45 and a strike rate of 181.64.