Suryakumar Yadav reveals Rohit Sharma's pep talk before T20 World Cup final against South Africa
Published - 02 Jul 2024, 10:50 AM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:14 AM
Suryakumar Yadav is very much India's man of the moment after India won the T20 World Cup final against South Africa. His catch in the final over to dismiss David Miller was the turning point of the game that swayed back the match in India's favor.
SKY failed to make an impact with the bat in the final as he just scored 3 off four balls and was dismissed by Kagiso Rabada as he tried to play his favorite shot and was caught at fine leg. However, he more than made up for it with the ball.
In the very first ball of the 20th over with South Africa needing 196 to win, Miller hit the wide full toss from Hardik Pandya straight over long off. It looked like the ball would clear the boundary but SKY was fielding at the boundary and he made sure to keep the ball in play and complete perhaps the best catch of the tournament. Replays showed that his foot was fin3 and Miller had to walk back to the pavilion with dejection on his face.
Suryakumar Yadav Recalls Rohit Sharma's Pep Talk
In a special interaction with Indian Express, SKY revealed his chat with Rohit Sharma and his pep talk before the final, He spoke about how the skipper urged his players to support him in his quest of winning the ICC T20 World Cup final. Rohit ended with 257 runs in the tournament but it was SKY's catch that gave India the World Cup.
"Before the final, he told us to keep it simple but said, ‘I can’t climb this mountain alone. If I have to reach the peak, I will need everyone’s oxygen’. He also said, ‘Joh bhi hai, paon mein, dimag mein, dil mein (Whatever you have in your legs, mind and heart), just bring everything to the game. If that happens, we will not regret the night’. We all were moved" said Surya on Rohit's motivational pep talk.
He further spoke about his closeness with Rohit Sharma and how the skipper has gone to the moon and back about backing his players throughout the tournament.
"I have played so much cricket, be it in IPL or international cricket in the past four-five years. He connects with the players. Off the field, be it in a hotel room, or on the beach, he connects with everyone. So when a crunch situation comes, players know that he (Rohit) will back us. One feels I have to deliver for this man for the confidence and respect he gives to everyone" SKY added on Rohit.
This is India's second T20 World Cup title and the first since their inaugural T20 World Cup win in 2007. India won their second T20 World Cup title 17 years later. Meanwhile, this is India's first ICC title in 11 years and the first for Rohit Sharma as a captain as well.
He now has become the only Indian player in the current squad to win ICC titles as a player and as a captain. After India's T20 World Cup win, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired from T20Is.
Also Read: Watch: Ishant Sharma's tears flow watching Virat Kohli's emotional goodbye to T20I cricket
