England star SNUBS Jos Buttler to pick Suryakumar Yadav as FAVOURITE T20 batter

England and Punjab Kings' batsman, Jonny Bairstow, recently shared his top three T20 batters from current crop of players in a video posted by ESPNCricinfo. Despite his relatively quiet performance in ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, where he has scored 96 runs in six matches at an average of 16.00, Bairstow remains a keen observer of game.

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Jonny Bairstow names top three T20 batters for him

Jonny Bairstow's top three T20 batters include Suryakumar Yav, Jos Buttler, and Heinrich Klaasen. Suryakumar Yav, currently top-ranked T20I batter, boasts an impressive record of 2,141 runs in 60 T20Is at an average of 45.55 and a strike rate of 171.55. He has also been in good form in IPL 2024, scoring 130 runs in four matches, including two half-centuries.

Heinrich Klaasen has been a consistent performer across various T20 leagues. In ongoing IPL, he has amassed 253 runs in six matches at an average of 63.25 and a strike rate exceeding 199. He has three half-centuries to his name this season and has been a standout performer in leagues worldwide.

Despite Jos Buttler's scorching form in this IPL season, where he has scored 250 runs in six matches at an average of 62.50, Jonny Bairstow opted for Yav as his preferred T20 batter. Buttler has an impressive T20I record, amassing 2,927 runs at an average of 34.84 and a strike rate of 144.61. He has also scored 11,396 runs in 409 T20 matches.

When asked about best bowlers he has faced in nets, Bairstow named South African legend Dale Steyn and Indian pace spearhe Jasprit Bumrah. Steyn has 699 wickets in 265 matches, while Bumrah has 382 wickets in 187 international games and is leing wicket-taking charts in ongoing IPL with 13 scalps in seven games.

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Jonny Bairstow revealed that facing his English teammate and pace spearhe, Jofra Archer, in nets is something he does not particularly enjoy. He also mentioned that Australian pace legend Mitchell Johnson, with 590 wickets in 256 matches, has been a challenging bowler for him.

Currently, Punjab Kings are struggling in IPL 2024, occupying ninth position with two wins and five losses from seven matches. y will face Gujarat Titans next at Mullanpur Stium on Sunday.