IND vs SL: "Hum Log Toh Itne Saal Se Lage Huye Hai But What You Are Doing Is Something That I Haven’t Seen Before" - Virat Kohli On Suryakumar Yadav

India’s new middle order phenomenon Suryakumar Yadav for his current batting brilliance was praised by the former Indian skipper Virat Kohli after the latter scored his 45th ODI century and 73rd overall in international cricket during what was his first inning of 2023.

Suryakumar Yadav scored a fifty and a hundred, his third T20I century, as India defeated Sri Lanka 2-1, amassing the most runs in the three-match T20I series between the two countries. Yadav didn’t play for India’s starting XI in Guwahati. In the third ODI against Bangladesh back in December, Kohli, who batted at number three, recorded his second straight century.

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Virat Kohli Lauds Suryakumar Yadav

“I want to congratulate you on all the amazing things you’ve been doing,” Kohli said to Surya in a BCCI video after the first ODI vs Sri Lanka in Guwahati.

“Honestly hum log toh itne saal se lage huye hai but what you are doing is something that I haven’t seen before. You are creating a different template. You are creating a different energy. I can see in the crowds when you go, there’s genuine love and genuine affection because of the way you are playing, which is amazing to see.”

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Of mutual admiration ?, dealing with expectations & starting the year with a glorious ?

A conversation that will brighten up your Wednesday morning as @surya_14kumar chats with centurion @imVkohli ?- By @ameyatilak

Full interview ? #TeamIndia #INDvSLhttps://t.co/VVfjt19zRM pic.twitter.com/StExnar1V1

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 11, 2023

Kohli mentioned to Surya that he began the year with a century on his maiden outing,“Do saal mai aisa saal nahi shuru hua (Last two years didn’t start out this way for me). This was the first match of the year and I got a century so hopefully I can build on this because it’s a world cup year and there’s a big Test series coming up against Australia. In any game, when you score runs you get the confidence. Today, I was just happy that I could bat through the innings almost.”

Frustration Started To Creep In: Virat Kohli

The 34-year-old also mentioned that after going nearly three years without a hundred, which ended last year at the Asia Cup when he scored his first T20I century against Afghanistan, he would now be able to get back-to-back hundreds.

“Now people look at you differently,” Kohli said while speaking to his India teammate.

“Now when Surya goes out to play, people are thinking Surya karke dega (Surya will do it). To keep up with that is a very intense process. Sometimes when your cricket is going well all those things flow well. But when there’s a little bit of dip, then in my case frustration started to creep in because I wanted to play like that….on the expectations people have of me based on how I play. On how I must play.

But cricket wasn’t allowing me to play that way and because of that my attachments and desires to play well had totally taken over and I was far off from the game. That’s when I realised, I have to be true to myself. Even when I’m not playing well, I’m vulnerable, I’m the worst player around, I have to accept it.”

Also Read: IND vs SL: “If Your Goal Is The World Cup, Make Sure He’s There For That Tournament”- Russell Arnold On Jasprit Bumrah

Virat Kohli | Rohit Sharma | Rishabh Pant | KL Rahul | Suryakumar Yadav | Sanju Samson | Shreyas Iyer | Yuzvendra Chahal | Jasprit Bumrah