Suryakumar Yadav (Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry photo)
Chennai: May seems to be the month of unimportant Clásicos. While the champions of the original version – Barcelona and Real Madrid – will play next Sunday at the Nou Camp as the Catalan giants finish off La Liga, the Indian version is in the MAC on Saturday as well, perhaps only of academic interest.Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians are three and four wins away respectively from the leading group of four and these underperforming giants will need a miracle to reach the playoffs.While the teams may not have much to play for pride, there is a great deal at stake for the players. Topping that list is Suryakumar Yadav, India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain. Although he was praised for his captaincy, there was no doubt that he had a poor World Cup as he made 157 runs in seven matches, 84 of which came against the USA in the first match itself.Immediately after the World Cup, Suriya spoke about his ambitions to lead the team to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. But the way things are shaping up for him in the Indian Premier League, it seems a far cry.
The 35-year-old is enduring one of his worst seasons in the Indian Premier League since 2021, when he managed 317 runs at an average of 22.64. This year, with the team needing a top professional to stand up and execute, ‘SKY’ falters time and time again, leaving MI in a deep hole.
His 162 pitches in eight games are far fewer, especially when the batter is coming in third or fourth.Mumbai Indians coach
Mahela Jayawardene
However, he jumped to his player’s defense before training on Friday. “In practice, he bats the ball like no one else. Even in matches, he bats well and the way he got out a few times was very unfortunate. He got some good balls too a few times,” Jayawardene said, adding that he, as a batsman, has been through similar situations.
“The coach insisted that Syria needs to ‘continue to trust his way of thinking and his ability,’” the coach added. He’s that type of player and very unconventional. We continue to encourage him. He’s had a great three or four years and it can happen like this. He will still be smiling and playing the same way he knows how to play.”But Suriya knows that Shreyas Iyer is having a fantastic season with the Punjab Kings and can become a contender not only for his place in India, but for his throne as well. This is extra pressure and in a situation like this, a wounded CSK on a black ground in the MAC with thousands screaming against you is not the easiest proposition. But then, the right-hander has dealt with adversity in his long career and all his fans are hoping that the ‘El Clásico’ will mark the beginning of the T20 great’s comeback journey.