Suryakumar "looking for runs" as batting average hits record-low; SA skipper Markram says team will learn, strive for betterment

Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], December 15 (ANI): Following his side's win over South Africa in the third T20I, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav spoke on his poor batting form this year, saying that while he has been batting beautifully in the nets, he feels he is "out of runs" currently and expressed optimism that runs would flow from his bat soon.

While Team India gained a 2-1 series lead over the Proteas with two games left, Suryakumar's batting woes continued. In 20 matches and 18 innings this year, the Indian captain has scored just 213 runs at an average of 14.20 and a shockingly poor strike rate of 125.29, with the best score of 47*.

Speaking during the post-match presentation, Suryakumar said, "The thing is, I have been batting beautifully in the nets. I'm trying everything that's in my control. And when the game comes, when the runs have to come, they will definitely come. But yes, I am looking for runs, not out of form, but definitely out of runs. I think we will enjoy it tonight. We will enjoy the win tonight. We will sit down tomorrow when we reach Lucknow (for the fourth T20I), and then see what happened in this game and talk about that."

Surya's average this year is the second-worst batting average in a calendar year (minimum 200 runs) in a calendar year, next to Rwanda's Clinton Rubagumya average of 12.52 in 2022 and worst among all Test-playing nations. This is also the second worst average by an Indian in T20Is during a calendar year (minimum 10 innings), behind Axar Patel's (11.62 in 2022).

Surya also said that it is important how one comes back in a series, and his side wanted to "go back to the basics".

"See, there was a lot of learning from the game we played in Chandigarh (2nd T20I). The bowlers sat together, we had a good team meeting as well. We came for practice sessions and tried to do the same things we did in Cuttack. We went back to basics. We did not try to do a lot of different things, but I think the basics were very important at that time," he added.

Also, South Africa skipper Aiden Markram, who stayed unbeaten with his knock of 61* in 46 balls, with six fours and two sixes, said that the hosts bowled in the right areas and pointed out that a few bowlers bowled "Test match lengths and deliveries".

"Tough conditions up front. They got the ball in the right areas, and before you know it, you are four, five, six down. So, got to give credit to their bowling. A few of them bowled a Test-match delivery, Test-match length, it was challenging. So if conditions are the same moving forward, you are just going to have to find ways to get through that and try to put some pressure back on them. You have just got to give credit to that bowling unit on the night. It was tough. You want to play in this format, but they did not give us much to score off," he said.

"I tried to just take it deep. We obviously lost a couple of wickets, so you think to try to take it deep and make a play at the end. The whole time I was thinking maybe 140, 150 - I think we were massively in the game. We will have to have a few answers if conditions are the same," he concluded.

Markram also said that this was not a wicket where one could get away by hitting everyone, and the batters had to pick and choose their bowlers to target.

"You never want to curb players, you never want to speak any negative language about keeping the ball on the floor or whatever the case might be. You always want to encourage the boys to play. Each person will take lessons from tonight and be a better cricketer afterwards," he concluded.

Coming to the match, South Africa was put to bat by India, who won the toss. Wickets kept falling at regular intervals, with a fiery powerplay spell delivered by Arshdeep Singh (2/13) and Harshit Rana (2/34). Spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav also picked two, leaving SA skipper Aiden Markram (61* in 46 balls, with six fours and two sixes) as their lone warrior as the Proteas were bundled out for 117 in 20 overs.

Abhishek Sharma (35 in 18 balls, with three fours and three sixes) and Shubman Gill (28 in 28 balls, with five fours) started with a quickfire 60-run stand. While there was a brief slump in run rate with a few quick wickets, Tilak Varma (25* in 34 balls, with three fours) and Shivam Dube (10* in four balls) ended the chase in 15.5 overs, with seven wickets left. (ANI)

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