IND vs PAK: India's Batting Strength Has Increased After Suryakumar Yadav's Inclusion - Former Pakistan Captain Misbah-ul-Haq Says About Team India Batting Approach

India will take on arch-rivals Pakistan in their opening encounter of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, on Sunday, October 23. The mother of all battles between the two teams will be renewed after last month’s Asia Cup thrillers. The Indian team will look to end a 15-year drought by winning the ongoing T20 World Cup in Australia.

Suryakumar Yadav is exactly the kind of player India was looking for, and the year 2022 is a dream season for him. He is the highest run-scorer for India this calendar year and also holds the record for the fastest player to complete 1,000 runs in terms of balls in T20 Internationals. In just 34 T20Is, SuryaKumar scored 1045 runs with nine fifties and a century that could be the best innings in a losing cause. Many believe India has found their version of AB de Villiers as he can unleash an array of 360-degree shots.

Misbah-ul-Haq feels that Suryakumar’s inclusion in the XI has strengthened the Indian batting line-up. The former Pakistan captain is confident that SKY can add real meat to the already top-heavy Indian batting order. With his arrival, the responsibility of the team’s top order has changed. He will be followed by Hardik and Dinesh Karthik, who will play the finisher’s role.

India’s Batting Strength Has Increased After Surya’s Inclusion – Misbah-ul-Haq

“Suryakumar Yadav ke aa jaane se mujhe lagta hai unki batting strength badhi hai. (After Suryakumar Yadav’s inclusion, India’s batting strength has increased). The range he has and the kind of shots he plays against any bowler – he had all types of shots – and because of this, the role of the top order has changed as well. Then there is Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik who play the finisher’s role,” Misbah was quoted as saying by A-Sports.

India Have Decided To Change Their Approach After Last Year’s World Cup – Misbah-ul-Haq

The former Pakistan skipper feels that India have now adopted a more attacking approach to batting, which is a huge shift from last year’s T20 World Cup, where India’s batting approach was timid and reserved.

“Overall, you can see that after last year’s World Cup they have decided to change their approach. Earlier they had a strategy like the current Pakistan team. But now they have taken an England-like policy – which is to just go after the bowling. They score the maximum runs in the Powerplay and according to that, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul have adapted. Even Virat Kohli, who used to take time earlier, comes and starts attacking,” he added.

Also read: ICC T20 World Cup 2022: Winning The Toss Isn’t A Huge Advantage In Australia, You Have To Perform Well – Pakistan Former Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq