IPL 2023:SKY batting at a different level

MI’s Aussie pacer Jason Behrendorff, who sent back three RCB batsmen at Wankhede on Tuesday, hails Suryakumar’s surreal work with the bat while chasing down 200-run target

IPL 2023:SKY batting at a different level

Suryakumar Yadav during his 83 against RCB on Tuesday. Pic/AFP

Jason Behrendorff, Mumbai Indians’s (MI) star performer with the ball in their six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday, credited the team’s batting unit, especially Suryakumar Yadav, for the convincing victory.

Behrendorff (3-36) was the most successful MI bowler against Faf du Plessis’s side. He dismissed Glenn Maxwell (33-ball 68) in-form Virat Kohli (1) and Anuj Rawat (6) to restrict RCB to 199-6 in their allotted 20 overs even as Du Plessis smashed a 41-ball 65.

Jason Behrendorff celebrates a RCB wicket on Tuesday. Pic/Ashish Raje

‘A really long batting line-up’

However, Suryakumar’s 35-ball 83 knock which was laced with seven fours and six sixes, Nehal Wadhera’s unbeaten 52 and opener Ishan Kishan’s 42 helped the hosts register victory in a must-win game with 21 balls to spare. “It’s a credit to our batting group. We’ve got a really long batting line-up. We’ve got SKY [Suryakumar], who is at a different, different level. He’s been batting amazingly. We’ve seen what Tim David can do at the back end. And then Nehal, who has come in the last few games and has really taken the game on. We’ve got some great options, which is really important,” Behrendorff said during a post-match press conference.

Though most of the MI batters are contributing to the team’s fortunes, captain Rohit Sharma seems to be struggling to get his rhythm back. After his two ducks in the last two games, Rohit managed just seven runs against RCB. But Behrendorff is confident that the skipper will be back to his normal game soon. He said: “I love the intent Rohit came out with. He sort of stepped down the wicket and took the bowlers on, which was really good to see. He is hitting the ball really well in the nets, but it has not translated often at the moment out in the middle. But we know how good Rohit is. He is an absolute class player and he might just need a couple of good shots to bounce back to really good form.”

Tough competition

Though MI jumped from the eighth spot to No. 3 on the points table, Behrendorff wants his teammates to keep the winning momentum to secure a Playoffs place. “The competition is so tight [this season]. This was a very important win for us. We just need to keep this momentum rolling. We’ve got three big games coming up,” stressed the Australian.

360
No. of runs scored by Suryakumar Yadav in the last eight IPL matches

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