Brett Lee Predicts Suryakumar Yadav as T20 World Cup MVP; Tips Varun Chakaravarthy for Most Wickets
Former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee has tipped Mumbai Indians captain Suryakumar Yadav to be the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the upcoming T20 World Cup. Yadav recently roared back into form during the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, where he amassed 242 runs at a staggering average of 80.67 and a strike rate of 196.75, earning him the Player of the Series award.
Lee also reserved high praise for Kolkata Knight Riders' mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, predicting him to finish the tournament as the leading wicket-taker. Lee believes the conditions in India and Sri Lanka are perfectly suited to Chakaravarthy’s bowling style, enabling him to "bamboozle the batters." Chakaravarthy, currently the top-ranked bowler in T20I cricket, is expected to capitalize on the turning wickets.
While Lee predicted the final would be contested between India and Australia, he ultimately backed Australia to lift the trophy. However, his strong endorsement of Suryakumar Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy underscores the high expectations placed on these IPL stars to dominate the global tournament.
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“His form coming into this, the wickets will be prepared that will suit him, the way that he can bamboozle the batters, I think this is set for him, this will be his World Cup.”
Brett Lee, Former Australian Seamer
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- Suryakumar Yadav
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Related Statistics
Best Bowling Strike Rate - IPL 2025
Bowlers who took wickets at the fastest rate in 2025
| Select | Rank | Player | Team | strike-rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
#1 | Mumbai Indians | 182.61 | ||
| #2 | Mumbai Indians | 167.92 | ||
#3 | Mumbai Indians | 163.50 | ||
| #4 | Mumbai Indians | 157.30 | ||
| #5 | Mumbai Indians | 150.97 |
Select 2 or more players using the checkboxes to compare their statistics side-by-side
More Stats Referenced
Open the full leaderboard for detailed rankings.
| Statistic |
|---|
Leading Run Scorers - IPL 2025 Led by Suryakumar Yadav (717 runs) |
Best Batting Average - Career Led by Sai Sudharsan (49.81) |
IPL Career Best Bowling Average Leaders | Bowling Rankings Led by Ramandeep Singh (10.50) |
Best Strike Rate - Career Led by Jamie Overton (214.29) |
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Keep exploring stats tailored to Suryakumar Yadav and MI.
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“His form coming into this, the wickets will be prepared that will suit him, the way that he can bamboozle the batters, I think this is set for him, this will be his World Cup.”
Brett Lee, Former Australian Seamer
- Player
- Suryakumar Yadav
- Specialization
- Batter
- Team
- MI
- Analyze
- Analyze Performance
- Team
- Team Performance