"Has the skill if he is willing to absorb pressure" - Dinesh Karthik's huge statement on veteran Indian batter after AUS vs IND 2025 1st T20I

Former Indian wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik backed skipper Suryakumar Yadav's approach with the bat in the first T20I against Australia in Canberra on Wednesday, October 29. The 25-year-old came into the series in the middle of a dismal run of form in the shortest format.

Surya had averaged under 12 in as many T20Is this year before his 39* off 24 deliveries in the series opener. However, the veteran right-hander took his time initially, scoring only 12 off his first 11 balls.

Talking about Suryakumar Yadav's knock in the post-match show on Cricbuzz, Karthik said (2:28):

"He has that skill if he is willing to absorb pressure if sometimes he doesn't get runs. He will only get better after this knock. This country as a venue suits him very nicely as he loves pace and bounce. I have no doubt that he is a player who will definitely succeed and be very effective as the World Cup comes purely because of the skills he possesses."

Unfortunately for the Indian skipper, rain played spoilsport the rest of the way, with the match being called off after 9.4 overs of the Indian innings. It prevented Surya from potentially scoring his first T20I half-century of the year.

"Certain beauty to the way he picks which ball is going to come to him" - Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik expressed his admiration for Suryakumar Yadav's premeditated approach to batting after the batter's scintillating knock in the series opener against Australia. Despite his unorthodox batting style, the right-hander boasts excellent T20I numbers with an average of over 37 and a strike rate of 164.18 in 91 outings.

"There is a certain beauty to the way he picks which ball is going to come to him because he is one of those batters without too much foot movement. He almost premediates into a certain position but for him to constantly be ahead of the bowler and know what he wants to do, that's a great skill to have," said Karthik (via the aforementioned source).

With the opening T20I abandoned, Surya will look to tick the half-century box this year in the second T20I in Melbourne on Friday, October 31.