Star India batter Suryakumar Yadav recalled his heated face-off with Virat Kohli from the Indian Premier League 2020. Suryakumar played a match-winning innings of 79* (43) for Mumbai Indians (MI) against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) during Match 48 of the season and even had a heated moment with Kohli during his innings.
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00:00Another round of applause please for Suryakumar Yadav
00:15The last time I met you
00:19There were a lot of tattoos. I was hoping that you'd come in your half-sleeve
00:23Shirt the fancy designer shirts that you wear so that people can see the number of tattoos
00:28Has there been an any increase in those tattoos since the t20 World Cup to now?
00:33Hello, good evening everyone
00:35Increase there's no increase in the tattoo because now
00:39I'm happily married and my wife. I think she's against all this
00:43She's not allowing me to get any tattoos now anymore any particular reason
00:49There's no particular reason
00:50But I requested her post the t20 World Cup when we won that let me get something something done on my hand
00:57there's some place left, but she was like
01:00There's another t20 World Cup coming in sometime do something special and get a tattoo Wow
01:05I like that from all of us fantastic. I don't think there's any space left anyway there is but
01:12Not the right place
01:15Also listen you yet to be a father, so maybe she's saying that you have some space when you laugh
01:21Yeah, there's a lot of space for my children. Yeah, you'll have that okay. See I spoke to
01:27You about that World Cup catch right after you had won the World Cup. I was just calculating. It's been
01:34222 days since you took that catch my god. That's the catch that actually won in the other World Cup
01:40I don't think the image does justice to it because of copyright issues
01:46I can't play the full catch
01:48But it is actually a catch where he goes outside the boundary comes back in and then catches it and then the match
01:54Completely turns my question to you is how many times have you replayed that in your head this catch in the last 222 days?
02:03Definitely I didn't know that it's 222 days, but I've definitely watched it more than 222 times
02:10I watch it every every every every hour whenever I get an opportunity to use the phone
02:15I watch it a lot of times, and I am very grateful. I mean there was I could get to do something special
02:22For my country that day. What's the distance between the foot and the boundary rope?
02:28that I think if I would have
02:31Been busy seeing that the ball would have already crossed the boundary
02:35I've asked you because that's the distance between India holding the cup and not holding the cup. I mean
02:42There were a lot of moments in the game, and this was one of them, but reaching to that moment after that 30 ball 30
02:51Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep, Hardik all the three guys getting us back into the game
02:55And then this moment came of six ball 16 and being in that moment and taking that catch
03:00I think you can say there was a lot of hard work
03:03Involved behind it by all the three bowlers, and then I got an opportunity otherwise the game would have been over long back
03:09Okay, do you sometime feel okay?
03:11I took this catch amazing, but everyone just remembers that catch listen. He's got a hundred and forty five deliveries in a T20I
03:19International
03:21145 day one of the fastest in the history of T20 internationals
03:25He's won multiple IPL titles World Cup winner you must sometime think yeah who to my batsmen yeah everyone remembers that catch nobody remembers
03:32You know some of those great knocks so see it was it was a moment
03:37During that during that tournament a final you need 16 runs of six balls
03:43Balls down to the wire
03:45There are a lot of people who got runs in that tournament a lot of batters performed real a lot of bowlers did really well
03:51But it was just that moment
03:54which was which was there if I I mean I don't know if that if that catch would have been taken during a
04:00League stage if if that was
04:03There but but I feel it was all about that moment
04:06In that World Cup final and what happened after that World Cup final is that we got ourselves a new T20I captain
04:13Which is Surya Kumar Yadav talk us about that because you know many names were being spoken at that time
04:20We knew it was Rohit Sharma's last
04:22T20 international how did that captaincy come did it come as a pleasant surprise talk us through that oh?
04:29I don't want to say it came as a pleasant surprise, but
04:34Whatever came my way
04:36I think I was very happy with it because I because I always used to dream
04:40First you dream that you want to play for India
04:42Then you dream that you want to do something special for your country so you win trophies
04:46And then comes that one day you lead your country and you win big big tournaments for them
04:52So that's one thing which I always dreamt of and then leading of the team in any format
04:58I mean, it's a blessing so I was really happy with it, and I just feel that I I
05:06tell
05:07everyone my family and
05:09Friends that just wish that I just grab it with both the hands right and I hope you do you grab a cup with both
05:16The hands the next T20 World Cup is going to be in India in
05:212026
05:22India are the favorites because while Rohit Sharma won us the World Cup
05:26Believe you me if you're not a regular watcher of this T20I team
05:29You have to watch this team under Surakumar Yadav because they are setting some new benchmarks
05:34They are playing cricket
05:35Which is ahead of the curve which the entire world is talking about talk us through that because you know I've covered the journey of
05:41Indian cricket and a lot of time we used to say India is good
05:44But we are behind the curve there are a few countries that are setting the benchmark
05:48What have you done with this team where it looks like that 300 on the card?
05:53You've come so close to reaching 300 in T20I under your captaincy. That's how they are playing all of them are Mavericks
05:59What have you spoken to those youngsters? What have you done to see this turn around?
06:04firstly
06:05The thing is I'm just trying to take the legacy forward what we started during the T20 World Cup and before that
06:12We started playing like that in the I think during the Asia Cup or maybe post that during the T20 World Cup
06:19And then from there
06:21I just told my boys the same thing whatever you do for your respective state
06:26respective
06:27Franchise do the same thing when you come here just the jersey just the color of the jersey changes rest
06:33I think there's nothing nothing new your cricket is the same just enjoy be fearless and
06:41Show the world what what what you got in store, and that's what that's what they're trying to do
06:45The word that you use is fearless
06:47You you know you talk about that you want to take that legacy forward every time this word was used play fearless play fearless
06:54But somewhere back of the mind you're a batter batters are selfish you want to get runs
06:59But you've actually taken that out
07:01I see that that nobody really cares of what runs they have in front of their name
07:06It doesn't matter they get out you leading from the front do that. How did you instill this belief in the team?
07:11I want to know
07:13See it's not it's easy to say yes
07:16There are six seven batters in the side
07:19Two three two three of them will fire on a given day, but we've sat down as a batting unit
07:25We've decided like for example if two batters get 75 75 and we are reaching about 180 190
07:31How about seven batters trying to split that thing and get 12 ball 30 12 ball 30, and then let's see where we land up
07:38so that's what we are trying to do and
07:40We've been equally supported by
07:43BCCI our coach and everyone to be to be fearless and that's what we're trying to do
07:48We're just trying to play our game on the ground and whatever happens either we win or we learn
07:55Either you win or you learn okay, that is the buzz phase for all of you who follow cricket
08:00You'd know where that comes from okay?
08:03Tell us also. You know in terms of these youngsters two years ago. I introduced you as mr.
08:08360 because things that you would do on the field you would say no
08:11This is not possible. You can't do it, and then I see this young team
08:14There is a Tilak Verma a ring who's saying a Joshua Jaiswal Abhishek Sharma
08:20Sometime do you feel that within two years?
08:23They have like outscored you. I wouldn't have imagined that two years
08:26Then do they scare you with the kind of you know aggressive approach that they have no I would be very happy
08:31I would be really happy if they are doing that and
08:35They are taking one one degree pulling it from my
08:39360 but yeah, I mean the way they bat the way they express themselves on the field
08:44It's unbelievable. I just wish
08:47To God that if I was a 22 year old. I wish I I could bat like that the way
08:52They are expressing themselves. I mean the amount of hard work. They do during a practice sessions. It's very
08:58Sometimes I just turn up to see what they practice on the ground
09:01How do they carry themselves to the gym sessions the way they?
09:05Behave on a dinner table
09:07Avoiding all those food, and then they want to be they want to be different, and that's reflecting on the ground
09:12So that's one thing which which everyone every sportsman
09:17Should try and see and learn from them
09:18Do you get a feeling that the Indian t20 team under your leadership is the envy of the world?
09:24Everyone wants to play like that at least I get that feeling when I speak to journalists from abroad
09:28Everyone is saying this Indian team is different. Do you get that feeling as well when you are on the field?
09:33I just tell them one thing
09:36See there are a lot of people who've come to see you
09:39Give them a reason to have a wide smile on their face when they go back whatever happens you win
09:46Or you learn whatever happens just be yourself and as soon as you leave the ground
09:52Nothing should change your character
09:54Shouldn't define even if you have scored a hundred or you've you've not got runs
09:58Or you've not delivered how you wanted to be when you go off the field you have to be the same guy
10:03Who came in to play the game simple okay talking about the same guy?
10:07I want to talk to you about the transformation of Surya Kumar Yadav
10:12In all my years of covering cricket. I know two versions of Surya Kumar Yadav
10:17One was the pre 2018 Surya Kumar Yadav who would bat in the middle order score those 30 runs
10:22But would be like many other batters, and then there is this to 2018 2019 post that Surya Kumar Yadav that
10:31You know was setting the benchmark that was leading from the front that 360 degree shot shots that you started playing
10:37What happened what happened in that period between 2018 to 2019 Surya Kumar Yadav 2.0. How was that born?
10:45It it's actually
10:47I can say it's a little bit of emotional thing as well, but at the same time when I was in KKR
10:54Well that time I was called a one-dimensional player
10:57I used to actually play only one side of one side of the ground then when I came to Mumbai Indians like when I came
11:03back home
11:04Things started changing. I started batting a higher up the order. I opened as well first year
11:09Then at the end of 2018 season I realized if I have to be at the top if I want to be the best
11:15What are the things I need to do?
11:17Then I spoke to our coach back back then in MI and then we started
11:23Thinking how do we take this take the ship forward? How do we make you a different player?
11:28Then I started working on my fitness because I used to to be very honest
11:32I used to get tired after playing 30 35 balls
11:34And if I wanted to be the best if on a given day if I don't get boundaries and success
11:39I have to run hard and if I have to run hard in that heat, I have to be fit
11:43So I changed my diet and everything then I got a nutritionist on board. I started talking to trainers
11:49I used everything whatever I could and we sat with my wife because she was the one
11:55Who used to be always honest with me?
11:58Whatever it is. It was on my on my face. So it was a good thing
12:02We changed me as a person changed me as a player
12:06We actually cut down on a lot of friends also a lot of weekends
12:11It was completely off for us started training started batting doing low pay playing a lot of games and then slowly slowly
12:192019-20 played a lot of domestic cricket during that season
12:23I mean before us to before also I used to play but then
12:262018-19-20 I used to play a lot of domestic season t20 one day beat red ball everything and
12:32then I started working hard towards it and then
12:35In 2021 I got the fruits of what I did for last those two three years
12:40See you you talk about fitness working hard cutting down on your social time, but you know what that doesn't explain the
12:48The flamboyance with which you started playing, you know some shots a fast bowler bowling at 150 you are
12:55Hitting him. What is what is that called a paddle shot above your head six behind the wicketkeeper?
13:00You need courage to do that. Tell me how did that transformation happen? Because that seems more mental than your hard work
13:07See the ground is big you want to cover all the aspects on the ground
13:12So if there are no players at some part of the ground you want to play that shot
13:15So I've practiced it a lot. I
13:18used to go to the ground be there for
13:21Be there in the morning be there in the afternoon the whole day. I used to spend a lot of time over there
13:26Saw my game a lot what I used to do what I could do better
13:29understood my game and then I
13:32Decided if I have to be the best player in the world if I have to be there on the top
13:36I have to do something different. So then I started working on these strokes
13:40Then I implemented that in the game and then that's how I grew in confidence
13:45Is that premeditated or do you react at that time?
13:50To play a shot like that. Oh, you've decided this ball has to go behind the keeper
13:54I mean if you practice a shot
13:56Like a lot of times like 10,000 20,000 times when you are in the game, it actually comes in your muscle memory
14:03So you just react to it, but at the same time there are a few shots which are a little premeditated as well
14:09Yeah, because what is the reaction time half a second less than half a second?
14:13I mean to to react to it at that moment
14:17But then that's what you practice for but the fear is if you get it wrong
14:20You can get a serious injury with that shot, but then that's fine
14:23But if it goes for a six you have to see you have to always see on the other side of the other side of it
14:28Okay, very very tough path that you're walking on. I spoke about this transformation one other thing that comes to my mind
14:35And I think that that could have been a catalyst in your career. Correct me if I'm wrong. We will get those
14:41Visuals behind those are of this game in 2020 IPL game Mumbai Indians versus RCB and
14:49Surakumar Yadav plays a match-winning knock of
14:5279 of 43 deliveries if I'm not mistaken. There is a moment
14:57Why I'm trying to compare the pre
15:002019-20 Surakumar Yadav to this because here there is a moment that you'll see of a Virat Kohli
15:07Almost I'm not looking back
15:09Almost intimidating a Surakumar Yadav because Virat is is the player from the other team and he's taking his team to win
15:16Let's let's get those visuals if he can and then I'll get
15:19Sky to talk about that
15:24We're talking about friendship a lot of love
15:34No, he's telling me well played
15:40I
15:44Don't think the visuals do just if you have to see the moving images, I mean it was clear from the outside
15:49That's fine
15:50He's trying to make his team win and you're trying to make your team win and these tactics are quite often
15:56But tell me what was going through your head. I know he wasn't telling you or asking you how you feeling
16:00I know that that wasn't the case. Tell me this moment
16:03What was going through your head because I tell you I in the face of that kind of hostility or aggression
16:09Many would crumble you remain calm. You remain calm continue with a job talk us through this
16:14See to be very honest. There are a lot of things running in my mind on the game day
16:20if if I have to be brutally honest, there was
16:25The team selected to travel to Australia. I think a day or two before before this game
16:31And I actually expected that I'll be taking that flight going and playing a t20 format for India because I had done really
16:39Well, because if you do well two years in a row, you expect that you land somewhere
16:44You will get some something or the other but I and there were a lot of players in my team
16:48From different countries like Australia and New Zealand that they were like, when are you touring Australia? When are you going there?
16:54So the built up was like that and when when the teams got announced for all the three formats, I was like, oh my god
17:01Then he started talking to the players started talking to my wife. I think that was bubble at that time 2020
17:08She was like, it's completely fine. You've done your bit. It's okay, but your opportunity will come but then deep inside, you know
17:16What's happening in your mind?
17:17And if you don't connect your mind and heart together when the game comes it will be completely different
17:23you you can't you can't deliver for the team and then this game day came and I was like
17:28Still completely lost when we went to the ground. It was it was like I had a straight face
17:34No reaction anything and luckily we had to field then we went on for a chase and
17:40It was a very important game at that time that whoever team won that game would have actually gone in top two
17:46so it was important game for both the teams and then
17:50When when I was scoring runs there were a lot of
17:54Cheer up from the from the captain a lot of I mean support from him from the other end
17:59And it was just a moment at that time
18:02It was it was different, but it was just a moment. I mean
18:05Anyone in that situation would have reacted the same way. I agree
18:09I agree Virat was the captain at that time and you missed out on the team. Do you think and it's okay see
18:15There comes a moment in time that you start taking a player seriously
18:19Do you think that from this moment onwards because I've heard without talk glowingly about you your talent
18:24But do you think this was the moment where you earned his respect?
18:27I mean
18:29I don't know because we we didn't speak after this game when I was picked for India
18:35To play against England we played a game
18:38After that, he was the one who said would you like to bat at number three? I said yes, definitely
18:44Why not? I would love to take that responsibility and challenge and he was like take a job
18:49guilty number pay and I was very happy and
18:51Post that I think it was a completely different relationship. We've batted together so many times
18:58We've had a hundred plus runs partnership as well in t20 games and it has be completely different
19:03I've learned a lot of things from him. We still talk about it. We still talk about the game a lot and
19:09There's there's a different level of respect now. Yeah, there is there is a mutual admiration
19:13I can see between you and Virat two great batters. I'm gonna talk about your relationship with two other players
19:18You spoke about Virat Kohli. Let's talk about Rohit Sharma
19:20You say that you know you changed when you came to MI Rohit was was the captain tell us about
19:26Rohit the captain and I'll tell you why I'm asking this question. There was a big furore
19:30And a big debate about Rohit Sharma's captaincy. We had a politician tweet about that
19:35He's not a great captain and it I you know was surprised eating that because I know he's one of the finest captains
19:41I want you to tell our audience about Rohit Sharma the leader Rohit Sharma the captain
19:48See when you when you come to MI let me start with that when you come to MI it's like an it's like an institution
19:55Where you come you learn you grow and then you move on to play for India you deliver and obviously you come back again
20:03It's not like that. You leave them. It's like an institution where you learn a lot of things and when
20:08When it comes to Rohit, I think it's all very very natural very very instinctive
20:14Whatever he does
20:15He always keeps others forward and then watches everyone grow simple
20:22easily approachable man
20:24First time when I came back in 2018-19 two years
20:28I only observed what he used to do on the ground of the field
20:32I tried my best to spend a lot of time with him
20:35Learn those tricks and trade what he does of the field so that the players
20:40They deliver on the ground because when I still remember when I was in KKR
20:46They had won two trophies I think in 2015 and 17
20:49So I wanted to know what he does with the players so in a pressure situation in a crunch game
20:56There are there's always someone who raises their hand
21:00I'll do for you in this given in this game even though the year for that player hasn't been great
21:05So that's one quality about him, which is
21:08Unbelievable, which I have actually tried to learn and he's very natural if you see on the field of the field
21:16He's very natural clean heart and very honest
21:19That's what you want from a from a captain and from from a player
21:23Not only is he very honest
21:25He has a great sense of humor and his sense of humor was on display when he was asked about Surakumar Yadav
21:31This was during the T20 World Cup
21:33You know he was playing his first semi-final
21:36He had been the star performer for India and a journalist asked that listen sky is your star player
21:41But he's playing a World Cup semi-final for the first time is he carrying excess baggage with him
21:47You know of playing in a big game. I want you to listen to what Rohit Sharma said and then I'll get Surakumar Yadav
21:53He was asked whether sky is carrying excess baggage of playing in a T20 World Cup game. This is what Rohit Sharma said
22:02He's a sort of guy just doesn't carry any baggages with him
22:08Not his suitcases, I mean he's got a lot of suitcases honestly speaking he loves his shopping
22:14But when it comes to carrying that extra pressure
22:18Extra baggages, I don't think you know he has that in him
22:24So no excess baggage on the field excess baggage in the flight suitcase
22:29Do you shop a lot? I love shopping. I mean who doesn't I mean everyone sitting here must be enjoying
22:35Shopping I feel
22:39Everyone loves shopping, but that doesn't mean I carry so many bags. Yeah, I do carry but not a lot of suitcases
22:46Okay, glad you cleared that
22:48Gautam Gambhir your relationship with him
22:52He was there in KKR when you were there you won the title also while Gautam Gambhir was captain now
22:58He's coach has that helped that transition because here's someone who's captain you and now is the coach while you're the captain
23:05See he he always when when I when we used to play together he always
23:11Spoke to me a lot about about leadership
23:14How to carry yourself on the ground what to do off the field keep thinking about the game
23:20How you can be a better player?
23:21Maybe a better captain if you if you lead a franchise or go on to lead India
23:26So I've learned a lot of things from him. He's a very very smart smart man
23:31I mean his
23:34The way he reacts on the field of the field
23:38Don't go on that. He's completely different human being all together. Is he misunderstood?
23:45On the field or off the field off on both
23:49He's a normal guy or off the field. He doesn't say anything doesn't utter a single word anything. No reactions, so
23:57He's a good man
23:58Yeah, he's a good man
24:00Okay, I have to talk to you about that t20 World Cup and a couple of things there
24:04Because you're going to be leading the Indian team the support that you got from the BCCI and what I you know quite often
24:10We criticize the board as well, but on that occasion
24:142022 t20 World Cup you didn't have a great outing 21 didn't have a great outing
24:18But somewhere down there
24:19Deep down the board supported you your team and went with a similar team similar
24:24Captain and you got the fruits tell us a bit about the support that you get from the outside
24:29See the BCCI has always always been like a like a pillar for for all the teams and
24:37post 2021
24:392022 yeah 2022 I still remember when we came back
24:43I thought there'll be a transition, but BCCI is supporting the same set of players going into another format and then
24:50Came 2024 t20 World Cup going on with almost the same team
24:55I think 90 95 percent all the players were the same so that support was very important it all comes from
25:02from the vision
25:03They must have seen something in 2021 and 2022 that yes this team can
25:09win the t20 World Cup going forward so their support was very important during that period and
25:16that time and 2024 when we when we went to West Indies and
25:21We started playing that tournament as soon as we started the tournament
25:25We knew that if we actually are able to deliver on a given day
25:3029th June will be a special moment in fact Chesha announced the team well in advance
25:36It said Roj Sharma is going to continue as captain that sort of conflict absolutely
25:40I mean J sir is all also been when I say BCCI
25:44J sir has always been a pillar for for all the players supporting them talking to them
25:50It's it's very important to know what a player is going through what a captain is going through
25:55So that's the best quality about him when he when he talks to the players the support he gives to the players
26:01I think it's it's commendable and the way he said
26:06Barbados may Roy Sharma kick up tiny ma'am Janda guarding a I think that was the statement
26:11Which had given a lot of motivation for the team as soon as we landed in New York and started our journey
26:18For winning the t20 World Cup
26:20I think the start is always important, and I think that was the start in Rajkot if I'm not wrong
26:24Yes, that's that's correct. We're running out of time, but two questions. I have to ask you one about the Champions Trophy final
26:32That's going to be there tomorrow
26:33Everyone's hoping you know India do well you were there chatting for the Indian team in the Pakistan game correct
26:38So what do you reckon it's going to happen in the finals?
26:41Oh, I am looking I am looking at the game from India's point of view so we are winning tomorrow simple
26:48Lovely give us give us give us a few reasons cricketing reasons. You think India are the favorites to win see
26:56India is playing amazing brand of cricket from from last two years and
27:02They just have to be themselves the the brand of cricket which the team is playing
27:07the camaraderie and the relationship the trust which is seen on the ground between the players and
27:13Most importantly the dugout the dugout is relaxed, so when you see a dugout is relaxed
27:18That means something right is happening in it something right is happening inside
27:22Maybe you should have been there you were there for the Pakistan game. I was there
27:26I'm taking the 450 flight in the morning to get there, then let's go
27:31Let's take him he was there India won that game versus Pakistan finally before we let you go the IPL also
27:38For a team like Mumbai five-time winners, you know a season like last time is way below power
27:45What do you reckon a Mumbai Indians chances in this IPL?
27:49See, it's 2025. It's a odd year again
27:56Odd year so yeah, but but the but the emotions are high and
28:01boy, everyone are
28:03Getting there slowly the boys
28:05I think half of them have already
28:07Reached the camp and we start our journey on 9th or maybe maybe 10th from 10th
28:12So I feel it'll be a special year
28:15That's all he needs to say especially if you're a Mumbai fan
28:18I'm afraid that's all the time that we have with sky as I said sky is the limit and he's pushing the limit
28:24For the Indian team, but thank you so much for being generous with your time and speaking to us here at the India today