Suryakumar Yadav was at his flamboyant best in the T20I series decider against Australia on Sunday, his blazing 69 off just 36 deliveries deservedly earning him the Player of the Match award following India’s six-wicket win.
Yadav walked to the centre at a time when India were in a spot of bother in the run chase; not only did the bowling unit bleed runs in the slog overs to allow Australia to cross the 180-mark, openers KL Rahul and skipper Rohit Sharma too departed within the powerplay without making significant contributions.
SKY would then go on to turn the match on its head with his fearless approach against the Aussie attack that had momentum on their side, nailing the role of the aggressor as he smashed five fours and as many sixes, allowing Kohli to settle in at the other end and play a supporting role. The pair firmly put the hosts in the driver’s seat with a 104-run stand, and it was India’s game to lose once Yadav was dismissed off Josh Hazlewood’s bowling.
Virat Kohli: Suryakumar Yadav has the game to bat under any situation and condition
Speaking to teammate Axar Patel after the match in an interview posted by the BCCI both on its website as well as on its social media accounts, Yadav revealed he wasn’t doing too well as far as his health was concerned on the eve of the decider.
“There was a little issue. The weather changed and now we have started travelling as well. So I had a stomach ache and then fever.
“At the same time, I knew this one is the decider. So I told my doctor and physio, ‘If this would’ve been the World Cup final, then how will I react? I can’t sit like this.’
“So I told them, ‘do anything — give me any medicine, injection — do everything you can to get me fit for the game. (And) once you have worn the jersey and are on the ground then the emotion is different,'” Yadav told Patel.
Later Axar confirmed he had been going through similar troubles the night before the big match in Hyderabad.
“Whatever pill you took, seems something else. I think whoever was having issues at night, it was going to be their day,” quipped Axar, who was the pick of the bowlers on the day with figures of 3/33 and was later named the ‘Player of the Series’.
Read: Axar’s magic, Green’s World Cup absence, and more talking points from T20Is
With the series against T20 world champions Australia coming to an end, India shift their focus to their next assignment — a three-match series of the same format against South Africa. The series begins on 28 September and will be followed by as many ODIs, which will be India’s final fixtures before the T20 World Cup.
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