Veteran Journalist reveals how Suryakumar Yadav prepared for T20 World Cup 2022

Suryakumar Yadav underwent a detailed practice regime to get used to the pace and steep bounce expected in Australia. 
 
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Suryakumar Yadav is currently India's second highest run-maker of the tournament after Virat Kohli. 

For a player that has seamlessly adopted to the pace and bounce unique to the conditions Down Under, it begs belief still that Suryakumar Yadav is making his first-ever trip to Australia for the T20 World Cup 2022. 

The Indian batter stands today as one of the leading run-getters of the tournament without compromising on his strike-rate. His tally of 225 runs has been compiled at a jaw-dropping rate of 193.96 over five innings. 

Apart from dominating Netherlands and Zimbabwe, the extravagant right-hander came up with an exhibition of great strokemaking ability versus the South Africans in Perth in arguably the innings of the tournament when he made 68 off 40 in the toughest possible conditions. 

That knock only reiterated the player's adaptability to the conditions, for it came against an attack ideally suited to exploit the steep bounce and high-end pace on offer for the seamers when the rest of the Indian batting collapsed like a pack of cards. Belying, once again, it happens to be Suryakumar Yadav's first trip to Australia in organised cricket. 

Makarand Waingankar on Suryakumar's Australia transition

This transition, however, is a direct byproduct of extensive hardwork behind the scenes, revealed veteran Indian journalist and pioneer of BCCI's then pathbreaking TRDW players scheme, Makarand Waingankar. 

In a Twitter thread written on Monday (November 7) amidst praise from all corners for Suryakumar Yadav, Waingankar unveiled how the player took to a local club in Mumbai and underwent rigorous practice, replicating in India the bounce and pace he will have to counter in Australia come the T20 World Cup. 

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"I doubt any Mumbai sports journalist watched how Surya Yadav prepared for the WC," Waingankar wrote. "He requested Parsi Gymkhana cricket secretary Khodadad for green top bouncy pitch. He would get his side arm specialist & Gymkhana coach former Mumbai opner Vinayak Mane would invite different type of bowlers."


Waingankar said Suryakumar and Mane would get involved in four-hour sessions to ensure he could perfect different strokes according to the bounce anticipated in Australian conditions. 

A fear heading into the World Cup was whether Suryakumar would be able to play his trademark behind-square shots with steep bounce Down Under. But the batter has only dispelled those with his fantastic campaign so far. 

"In 4-hour practice session, Surya and Vinoo Mane would create match simulations and put more emphasis on perfecting strokes. Surya was all ears when Vinoo spoke. When I watched from the first floor of the pavilion it was a method in madness but the way these guys planned meticulously and executed perfectly it was fantastic."

"So you know the secret beyond the success of Surya Yadav. Keep pressing accelerator, Surya. Thanks Vinoo Mane for your efforts," Waingankar added.