Suryakumar Yadav Discusses His Unique 'Supla Shot' and Upcoming T20 Challenges
Suryakumar Yadav's Innovative Approach to Cricket
In a recent address at the 9th convocation of GLS University in Ahmedabad, Indian T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav emphasized the significance of originality in sports. He shared his journey of wanting to stand out in cricket by creating a distinctive shot, which he has since dubbed the 'Supla Shot'.
Yadav expressed, “From the moment I began my cricketing career, my goal was to innovate. I aimed to develop a signature shot that would be associated with my name, something that fans would remember. I practiced relentlessly, visualizing the execution of this shot until I was fully prepared to use it in matches. Once I successfully played it, there was no looking back.”
The 'Supla Shot' is a clever ramp or scoop played with remarkable wrist speed, designed to send the ball over the wicketkeeper or fine leg, particularly effective in T20 cricket where short boundaries are common. This technique has become a crucial asset in Yadav's success as a T20I batsman.
As the Indian team gears up for home T20 matches against New Zealand and the T20 World Cup co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, fans are eager to witness more of Yadav's signature shot. Despite his past prowess in navigating through field placements and outsmarting opponents, he has faced challenges this year, accumulating only 218 runs at an average of 13.62, with a strike rate slightly above 123 and a top score of 47.
With aspirations to join the elite group of Indian players who have scored over 3,000 runs in T20Is, Yadav aims to solidify his legacy. Currently, he has amassed 2,788 runs in 99 T20Is across 93 innings, averaging 35.69 with a strike rate of 163.23, including four centuries and 21 fifties, with a personal best of 117.
The Indian squad for the T20 World Cup and the series against New Zealand includes: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and Rinku Singh.