t20 world cup: Two of a kind: Suryakumar, Rossouw are making up for lost time and living their dream

South Africa’s Rilee Rossouw took Bangladesh’s bowlers apart, clattering 109 from only 56 balls to set up his team’s 104-run win in the first match of the day. Then came Suryakumar Yadav, whose unbeaten 25-ball 51 came at a slightly better strike rate, an effort that won him the player of the match trophy.

The similarities in what the two men have achieved in the recent past is stunning. Rossouw has a greater volume of runs, having scored two centuries and a 96* in his last seven innings, 336 runs coming at nearly 187. In the same number of games, Surya has four half-centuries, two of them unbeaten and 254 runs at nearly 191.

It’s clear the two are right on top of their game at the moment, and it’s hard to imagine that Rossouw may not even be playing at this level. In 2017, Rossouw turned his back on South Africa, signing a three-year deal with Hampshire via the Kolpak rule.

This move earned him the ire of many in South Africa, including the coach, who came to know of the decision via an email from the player. “We backed him when he made five noughts,” Russell Domingo, then South Africa coach, had said referring to the start of Rossouw’s career in which he made four ducks in his first six innings.

To make things worse, South Africa had invested in Rossouw, giving him a two-year contract when he decided to walk away.

Rossouw’s time away did help his game though. Playing plenty in domestic leagues in Asia, Rossouw’s craft against spin improved considerably, especially the manner in which he used the sweep shot.

On the day, it helped that he was playing at a ground he is familiar with from his time at the Big Bash League and at a venue in which he has tasted considerable success in international cricket. Rossow scored 51 here on his visit in 2014 and then 61 in a World Cup match in 2015, which is famous for AB de Villiers’ 66-ball 162. “I won’t forget that game,” Rossouw said, tongue firmly in cheek. “I still think I’m taking credit for AB’s knock because I got him into such a great mind space. So I’m patting myself on the back there. No one knows that, so keep it like that, please.”

Remarkably, Surya also spoke plenty about batting with his senior and superstar batsman, Virat Kohli, after his knock. “I feel we respect each other’s game when we are batting together. For example, if I’m getting a few boundaries from one end, then he tries to rotate and to keep the intent to look for good shots,” explained Surya. “We just enjoy batting with each other, know our roles, try to run hard as much as possible.”

For Surya, life changed in international cricket as late as 2021, when he became this T20 beast of a batsman. While he had made his ODI debut back in 2018, he was unable to nail down his place in the playing eleven.

Since reinventing himself as a T20 batsman, though, his impact has been as high as anyone in international cricket. The key to this is how he goes at the ball from the time he walks to the crease. He knows what the highest percentage scoring shots are in his armoury and goes for it if the ball is in the right place, even if it is the first delivery he is facing.

As Surya explained it is the clarity offered by his position, No. 4, that allows him to do what he does. Either he comes in on the back of a great start, or he comes in after a slow start. Either way, it means looking for boundaries and going for it.

Rossouw and Surya are both making up for lost time, and right now, they are living the dream.