IND vs AUS: "I Recall Dilip Vengsarkar Telling Me About Suryakumar For The First Time": Sulakshan Kulkarni Praises Suryakumar Yadav's Growth

Published - 07 Feb 2023, 11:33 AM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:15 AM

Suryakumar Yadav. PC- ICC

Sulakshan Kulkarni, who was the Mumbai coach during SKY’s early days with the team, finds witnessing Suryakumar Yadav grow into a beat to be nothing short of inspiring.

Suryakumar Yadav has come a long way from playing cricket for Mumbai as a seasoned professional to becoming an IPL sensation to making waves in international cricket… and is now almost an all-format player for India.

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And it’s all thanks to 2022, when he dominated T20 Internationals, scoring over 1100 runs and taking home the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year award. And if his current form is anything to go by, 2023 appears to be following a similar pattern. SKY, who has already scored a century and a fifty in T20Is, is getting ready to take the next big step in his career as he readies to make his Test debut.

Suryakumar Yadav gained his maiden Test call-up when he was named to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy match against Australia, which begins on Thursday in Nagpur. And if his posts are any indicator, SKY will probably become the 304th Test cricketer for India.

IPL 2023 | India National Cricket Team | IND vs AUS 2023 | India vs Australia 2023

“Suryakumar Yadav can play the way he wants”: Sulakshan Kulkarni

The well-known Kulkarni, who is regarded as one of the best domestic coaches in Indian cricket history, recalls being astounded by Suryakumar Yadav’s abilities when he first saw him.

“I remember Dilip Vengsarkar first telling me about Suryakumar. Initially, he played for Dadar Union Sports Club. I saw him bat for Mumbai in a U-22 match. So, when I took over as coach in Mumbai in 2011, the first thing I informed the team management was that Suryakumar would be my free bird. He can play however he wants, and no one will object “Kulkarni explained to The Playfield Magazine.

“I gave him permission to play his natural game because I saw Kapil Dev in him. When Kapil was on fire, there was no better player to watch. Surya had an attacking game, and I wanted him to keep it up. Every team, in my opinion, should have a free bird who can change the course of the game. Surya was that player for me on that team.” Sulakshan Kulkarni Added.

Suryakumar Yadav scored three T20I hundreds in the space of six months and attracted a million people’s attention speaks volumes about how unique he is.

Also Read: WPL 2023: “WOMEN’S PREMIERE LEAGUE SET TO BE PLAYED FROM MARCH 4-26 IN MUMBAI”- IPL CHAIRMAN ARUN DHUMAL