The alpha of India’s wolf pack

Mumbai boy Suryakumar Yadav is known for his big-hitting. However, his extraordinary catch in the T20 World Cup final, which sent back South Africa's David Miller (21 off 17) helped India bounce back to win by seven runs in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Saturday. Suryakumar's first coach, Ashok Aswalkar and his Parsee Gymkhana coach Vinayak Mane reckoned that the catch was a game-changer in every sense.

Aswalkar compared the catch to the one India's 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev took to dismiss West Indies' Viv Richards off Madan Lal in the final. On Saturday, Suryakumar held on to one just near the long-on rope on the first ball of the 20th over, bowled by pacer Hardik Pandya, by balancing perfectly and with splendid presence of mind.

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Suryakumar takes a catch to dismiss David Miller. Pic/Getty Images

"That was a superb catch, a game-changer. I think that script was written for Surya only. He was at the right place, used his presence of mind at the right time and took that extremely tough catch very easily.

"This catch is similar to Kapil's 1983 World Cup final catch. I was around 20 then and watched that on my black and white television set. When I saw Surya's catch yesterday [Saturday], I immediately recalled Kapil running and taking Richards's catch. Both catches were taken at crucial situations, which turned the game in India's favour," Aswalkar told mid-day on Sunday.

"Had Surya failed to hold that catch, he may be cursed himself for life and we probably would have lost. But he kept calm with super judgment, landed properly by keeping his body balance and took an extraordinary catch. I was not at all surprised. In fact, I thank God that it went to a perfect fielder like Surya, who is a good athlete," Aswalkar added.

Ashok Aswalkar and Vinayak Mane

Former Mumbai opener Mane, who has seen Suryakumar taking excellent catches at slip, said: "From a very good close-in fielder, Surya has turned into a good outfielder. He was always a good catcher and I have seen him taking some tough catches in the slips for Mumbai. But now, he is equally good at outfield catches. He looks fitter and stronger. I think fitness has helped him become a better outfielder."

Though Suryakumar's catch will become legendary, Mane felt his catch to dismiss Pakistan skipper Babar Azam in the league game at New York was also a "game-changing" one.