NEW DELHI: Former England captain Nasser Hussain has showered praise on Indian batsman Suryakumar Yadav, describing him as a “freak” in T20 cricket and anticipating his standout performance at the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Hussain acknowledged Suryakumar’s remarkable command and entertaining style in the shortest format of the game, emphasizing his potential as a key player in the tournament scheduled for the Caribbean and USA later this year.
“The person for the world to watch out for at the moment in T20 is Suryakumar Yadav,” Hussain was quoted as saying by the ICC.
“I mean, the bloke is a freak. The cliche of Mr. 360, but some of the shots he plays… and he is a bit of a freak because in fifty-overs cricket, he doesn’t quite know when to go, when not to go, what to do. But in T20 cricket, he absolutely knows what to do every single time almost, and it’s a fun game, T20 cricket and watching SKY, that is absolutely fun,” Hussain added.

Despite Suryakumar’s perceived struggles in 50-overs cricket, Hussain highlighted his proficiency and impact in T20s, where he currently holds the No.1 spot in the ICC Rankings for T20I batters since 2022.
Looking forward to the T20 World Cup, Hussain expressed his support for South Africa to emerge victorious in the tournament. Citing the current form, he expressed confidence in the dynamic and talented South African squad.
Hussain credited Cricket South Africa’s T20 league, SA20, launched in the previous year, for contributing to the elevation of players’ skills and enhancing the team’s depth.
“I’m going to go for South Africa versus England in the final,” Hussain predicted, aligning with fellow commentator Simon Doull‘s earlier endorsement of South Africa’s T20 World Cup potential.

Reflecting on South Africa’s performance in the ODI World Cup last year, Hussain highlighted the absence of key players like Anrich Nortje and Sisanda Magala due to injuries. With their potential return for the T20 event, Hussain sees South Africa as strong contenders, especially if Nortje regains fitness for the tournament in the Caribbean.
(With inputs from PTI)