What happened during the infamous stare-off? Suryakumar Yadav explains
Top-order batsman Suryakumar Yadav had a stellar IPL season, representing the reigning champions Mumbai Indians. Despite producing several match-winning performances, he was snubbed from the Indian squad for Australian tour. However, he also made headlines for his infamous stare-off with Team India and Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli during the tournament. In a recent conversation with Sports Tak, he described the same.
How did the incident transpire?
The incident happened during the high-octane tie between RCB and MI. Chasing 165, MI produced a terrific start, however, they were soon reduced to 72/3. After that, Suryakumar's unbeaten 79 brought MI home in the final over. In the middle overs, Kohli walked up to Suryakumar, and stared at him while shining the ball. However, the latter kept his cool without emanating much buzz.
'He was just being energetic', says Suryakumar on Kohli
Suryakumar reflected on the same. "I have seen him this energetic in every game. It wasn't as if he was like this in the game against MI," he said. "Even when he plays for India or even in franchise cricket and against any team, he is aggressive and energy is always spot on. It was an important match for RCB as well."
'It came out in the heat of the moment'
"After the match, he was back to normal. He told me well played. It wasn't anything. It was just in the heat of that moment. I was also a bit surprised that it was highlighted so much," the Mumbai batsman further asserted.
How did Suryakumar fare in the IPL 2020?
This was the third consecutive season where Suryakumar grabbed eyeballs with his astonishing run. He finished in the top-ten in terms of runs (480) and registered his career-best average of 40.00. His strike-rate during the tournament read 145.02. That apart, Suryakumar also slammed four 50+ scores in the season. His tally of 61 fours remained the second-highest after Shikhar Dhawan (67).
He couldn't find a spot in the Indian squad
Despite his blistering show, Suryakumar failed to claim a spot in the Indian squads for the Australian tour. After the announcement, the Indian selectors faced backlash for his exclusion. A number of experts and former players also took a dig at them.
Suryakumar didn't let dejection affect his performance
In a recent conversation, MI skipper Rohit Sharma revealed how Suryakumar didn't let the snub affect his performance. "We were sitting in our team room and I could feel he was dejected. But I didn't go and speak to him. It was he who came up and said, 'Don't worry I will get over it and win the matches for MI'," Rohit said.
