ICC T20 WORLD CUP 2022

October 27, 2022

Suryakumar Yadav

Sydney Cricket Ground

India

Post Match Media Conference

India 179/2, Netherlands 123/9.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks again for joining us here. We have the post-game press conference here. We're joined by Suryakumar Yadav from India. We'll take questions from the room.

Q. Just three minutes before the a gentleman informed us that you were the biggest threat to Holland bowlers. People talk about Virat. People talk about Hardik. People talk about Rohit. That's a big compliment.

SURYAKUMAR YADAV: Obviously, I'll take it as a compliment and won't comment on it. Just be myself and what I'm doing, I think I'll just doing that when I'm going in to bat. That's it.

Q. Can you talk about your camaraderie with Virat Kohli because he really enjoys whenever you play shots. What kind of talk goes around when you are batting with him?

SURYAKUMAR YADAV: I think the thoughts and the plans are very clear depending upon the situation when I'm going in to bat.

Obviously, at the same time my plans are very clear when I go in to bat. I look for boundaries, try and hit the gaps and run hard. You know, when you are batting with him, you have to run hard as well.

He just clears your thoughts. I mean, when I was batting and when I was a little confused when I was inside, he was just coming up to me and telling me what delivery can you expect now from that bowler.

So it's a very good camaraderie, and I'm really enjoying batting with him right now.

Q. It's not the first time you got long, good partnership with Virat. Can you tell us something about it? Also, I guess, talk about this calendar year T20.

SURYAKUMAR YADAV: It feels really good to have numbers around, but at the same time, what I have been doing in the last few years just eating fruits of that hard work maybe.

Q. What makes it click with you and Virat, the partnership?

SURYAKUMAR YADAV: I feel we respect each other's game when we are batting together. For example, if I am getting few boundaries from one end, then he tries to rotates and to keep the intent to look for good shots.

It's just the respect we have for each of us when we are batting together. We just enjoy batting with each other and what shots he plays. We try to run hard as much as possible.

So it's a great thing, and really looking forward to having more partnerships with him.

Q. Can you just tell us the kind of consistency, like, scoring at a rate of 200 over the last six months, eight months. You talked about hard work, but can you tell us a bit of process about the hard work? It's insane, scoring at 180, 200 rate every game. If you could just elaborate a bit about the work?

SURYAKUMAR YADAV: I feel what I have done during my practice sessions back home when I go back to Mumbai and do it, I try and put a lot of pressure on myself whenever I'm going for a few practice sessions or playing a match scenario or doing anything any game.

I try and put a lot of pressure on myself during my next session. So, for example, if I am targeting a few balls, and I have to get N number of runs, if I get out, I just come out. That day I don't go in to bat again.

The same thing I'm been reflecting when I go into the games, and my plans have been very clear. What shots I have in my kitty, I just go out and express that. I won't do anything out of the box.

It has been helping me, and hopefully try and do the same thing in the coming games.

Q. Unlike in the recent past, Rohit has sort of looked to get his eye in and then go for the big shots in that period of tonight. It's been working well for Virat as well. Is that something that's been discussed behind the scenes? Because there's always an assurance that a guy called Sky is there to make up for it in the end.

SURYAKUMAR YADAV: That's a great thing to hear, but everyone has different plans when they go in to bat, and it's equally important what their game plan is.

So they are doing the same thing, trying to get their eye in and just enjoying themselves. I'm loving the way they are batting.

Q. Have you ever played a match in Australia before this World Cup and the challenges that come to Australia have? How have you sort of prepared for it, and what have you found challenging?

SURYAKUMAR YADAV: Not really. This is the first time I've come to Australia. There has been a challenge. I mean, obviously, bigger grounds, quick wickets.

But where I play back home in Mumbai, one kitty also has good quick wickets, so it has helped me, and I'm really enjoying batting here.

Q. Since the last World Cup, we had seen the team had consciously tried to take more risks in the first 6, 7 overs and have the high tempo throughout the innings. Is there something that you have seen here about the conditions that you are saying, hang on, we don't need to go that hard and we maybe need to set the base as we have seen today? It wasn't like really adventurous at the start. Secondly, how does that work for somebody like you who will then have to come and score quick runs without getting an eye in?

SURYAKUMAR YADAV: I think from my point of view, the number that I am batting, I have practiced that in the last three, four years. Whatever the situation is, I have to just bat according to it.

Looking at the game plan, I think the plan has been very simple. Obviously, you have to assess the conditions. The last two wickets were completely different where we played today. It was a little slow, and the last game it was a little quick and bouncy wicket.

So you have to adjust. And just, obviously, everyone must be having their own plan, and they are trying to execute it. Hopefully, we will come out again and do the same.

Q. What did you make of the Netherlands' performance? Obviously it's a team that we don't see a lot on the international stage. Were you impressed with their bowling, and do you think it's a team that could have a big future in international cricket going forward?

SURYAKUMAR YADAV: Absolutely. Actually, I have seen them play in the last few days, and I have heard they have won a number of T20 games.

They have been really good. Their plans were really nice against all our batters. We really look forward to playing them more.