Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik heaped praise on Suryakumar Yadav following the player's brisk cameo against Australia in the first T20I at Manuka Oval, Canberra, on Wednesday. Rain played spoilsport in the game, but India's T20I captain looked in fine touch. Before the match was called off, Suryakumar had raced to 39 not out off 24 balls. His innings was laced with three fours and two sixes. The player had been going through a lean patch, but his innings against Australia suggested otherwise.
"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," Karthik said on Cricbuzz.
"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," he added.
The series-opening T20I between India and Australia was washed out after persistent rain restricted play to less than 10 overs.
Australia skipper Mitch Marsh won the toss and sent India in to bat.
T20 World Cup champion India batted for 9.4 overs and reached 97/1 before rain stopped play a second time, with Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill at the crease.
An hour later, the umpires declared the match over.
The only wicket to fall was Abhishek Sharma, who scored 19 from 14 deliveries before he chipped Nathan Ellis to Tim David at mid-off in the fourth over.
Australia paceman Josh Hazlewood bowled three overs for 24 runs, and Ellis' 1.4 overs went for 25, with Yadav hitting back-to-back boundaries and a six in his last over.
The second game in the five-match series is on Friday in Melbourne, where both teams will continue fine-tuning strategies for the T20 World Cup in India next year.
(With AP inputs)