Played In The Same Way I Do For Mumbai Indians, Didn't Try To Do Anything Different - Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav, who was immensely impressive in his India debut in the T20I series against England, says that he played with the same mentality as he does for his IPL franchise, Mumbai Indians.

The right-hander didn’t get a chance to bat in his debut game, but when he did in the 4th and 5th T20I, he grabbed the opportunity with both hands. Suryakumar Yadav smashed 57 off 31 balls in the 4th T20I and followed it up with another attacking cameo of 32 from 17 deliveries in the 5th game, on both occasions leading India to a massive match-winning total.

Suryakumar Yadav has been a crucial cog in Mumbai Indians’ title victories in the last couple of years; he says that he looked up to the way his MI teammates Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan, who hit a fifty on his T20I debut, freely express themselves, and he too did the same.

“There is no secret according to me. The secret is only that there also we talk about playing fearless cricket like we do in the nets or in the practice games. So, we do that after coming here also,” Suryakumar Yadav told Star Sports.

“The way Rohit Sharma or even Ishan Kishan express themselves there, they do the same thing here. I also had to follow the same thing. The sort of cricket I play there, the same way I played here and didn’t try to do anything different. I just tried to be myself and the results are there, I am very happy with that,” he added.

Can bat whichever number they want me to bat, but enjoyed a lot at No.3: Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav, who opened his international account via a six off Jofra Archer, reveals that it was the skipper Virat Kohli who told him, on the eve of the 4th T20I, that he is being promoted to No.3. The 30-year-old was happy to be batting at his favorite position where he has scored about half of his IPL runs.

Yadav admits that while he is ready to bat anywhere if the management asks him to, but will prefer the number 3 position any day.

“It is a great feeling. Earlier it seemed like the role will be slightly different because the planning was different during the practice sessions. But before the last game the team management and Virat bhai came and told me that I would be batting at No.3.

“So the confidence they showed, I just carried that forward into the matches. I have told them that whichever number they want me to bat, I can do that and I am flexible.

“But yes, getting the position I have been batting at for the last 2-3 years, I didn’t have to do much different and enjoyed a lot batting at that position,” the Mumbai Indians batsman stated.

Also Read: Always Good To Contribute To The Team’s Win: Bhuvneshwar Kumar After Winning The Player Of The Match Award