New Delhi, Oct 30 (IANS) Former pacer Varun Aaron backed the Indian T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav to play a big knock for the touring party in the second T20I against Australia in Melbourne on Friday.

Suryakumar arrived in Australia with concerns about his form, but he silenced his critics with a fine knock of 39 not out in the washed-out series opener in Canberra. He was also involved in a 62-run second-wicket partnership with Shubman Gill, who scored 37 not out before rain made an unwanted arrival.

“This innings of 39 in the first T20I against the Aussies will greatly boost his confidence. We’ve seen with legends like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma that even after scoring 15,000 ODI runs, a brief lean patch can make you doubt your ability to find boundaries.

“Suryakumar, averaging just 11 this year with the bat before this knock, batted true to his character. That first six against Josh Hazlewood was a statement because after being beaten on the previous ball, most batters would turn cautious, but he responded with a phenomenal six,” Aaron said on JioStar’s ‘Cricket Live’.

“Though rain interrupted what could have been a substantial score, his approach after Nathan Ellis’ over showcased his match-winning intent and it was great to see SKY get back in his groove with the bat because he was the number one-ranked batter in T20 international cricket for a long time.

“When someone of his calibre does not get runs, people start raising questions immediately, so this knock was a good way for him to slightly silence his critics. Hopefully, we see a big Suryakumar Yadav knock in the second T20I in Melbourne,” he added.

Not only was Suryakumar fluent with his bat, India vice-captain Shubman Gill also regained form in the rain-affected encounter.

“What makes Shubman’s attacking gameplay so remarkably effective is the fundamental consistency of his technique, which remains largely unchanged across different formats of the game. We previously witnessed how his dedicated preparation and intense practice sessions ahead of the England Test series directly translated into significant performances, and in the contemporary cricket landscape, transitioning from one-day cricket to the T20 format should present minimal difficulty for a player of his calibre.

“His batting resembled the smooth, powerful operation of a Rolls Royce engine, effortlessly elegant while maintaining an impressive 185 strike-rate. While numerous international cricketers resort to forceful shots by stepping out and attempting to clear mid-wicket, Shubman demonstrates his exceptional class by simply placing the ball into gaps with impeccable timing and placement, making the entire process look remarkably natural and effortless,” the former pacer said.

The second T20I of the five-match series will be played at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.

–IANS

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