Picture Credit: IPL/Twitter
India and Mumbai Indians batter Suryakumar Yadav has recently opened up about his faceoff against former India and Royal Challengers Bangalore Virat Kohli during the IPL 2020. MI faced RCB in the 48th match where the five-time champions were chasing 166 and lost early wickets.
But it was SKY’s incredible 79 that helped Mumbai to win the game. During the innings, Virat Kohli was seen sledging Yadav aggressively who then continued batting and played a gem of an innings.
While addressing that interaction on the show, Breakfast with Champions, SKY recalled, “That’s his style. His energy level on the ground is always different. And that game was extremely important for both teams so Virat’s sledging was on another level in that match. I was focused on myself, like ‘boss, you cannot lose focus and have to win the match at any cost’. The ball went to him and he made that action from there and it was very instinctive.”
“I remember I was chewing gum and inside, my heartbeat is racing knowing that he is walking at me. He isn’t saying anything, I wasn’t saying anything. I was saying to myself ‘no matter what happens, do not say a word. It’s a matter of 10 seconds. After this, a new over will begin. This won’t last long. So the situation passed. I then saw him right after the match,” Suryakumar added.
Check out the video here:
“I was looking to learn what my game is"
After the match, Yadav talked about how his goal while batting was to stay till the end and finish the game. He said, “I was looking to finish the game. I was looking to learn what my game is. Happy to have finished it. A lot of meditation has helped. One over cover to Chahal and the back foot punch off Steyn were my favourites.”
“I have worked on my game during the lockdown. I used to love playing on the on-side before. Pleased to have finished the game. The team management and Rohit told me before the start of the tournament that you have played enough to take the game deep. I am glad I have been able to do it.”