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 the current crop of players in a video posted by ESPNCricinfo. Despite his relatively quiet performance in the 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 the game.

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Jonny Bairstow names top three T20 batters for him

Jonny Bairstow's top three T20 batters include Suryakumar Yadav, Jos Buttler, and Heinrich Klaasen. Suryakumar Yadav, currently the 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 the IPL 2024, scoring 130 runs in four matches, including two half-centuries.

Heinrich Klaasen has been a consistent performer across various T20 leagues. In the 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 Yadav 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 the best bowlers he has faced in the nets, Bairstow named South African legend Dale Steyn and Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. Steyn has 699 wickets in 265 matches, while Bumrah has 382 wickets in 187 international games and is leading the wicket-taking charts in the ongoing IPL with 13 scalps in seven games.

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Jonny Bairstow revealed that facing his English teammate and pace spearhead, Jofra Archer, in the 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 the IPL 2024, occupying the ninth position with two wins and five losses from seven matches. They will face the Gujarat Titans next at Mullanpur Stadium on Sunday.