Hurt Suryakumar Yadav vows to break the door down for India comeback
Suryakumar Yadav is not ready to give up on his India career just yet. After spending a difficult few months out of the national team, the Mumbai batter has found fresh motivation to fight his way back, making his intentions clear with a stunning knock in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on Saturday.
Returning to action for Mumbai after being left out of India’s T20I plans, Suryakumar smashed a 21-ball 60 against Hyderabad in their tournament opener. His explosive innings helped Mumbai chase down a target of 173 in just 13.1 overs, sealing a seven-wicket win with 41 balls to spare.
Speaking after the match, the former India captain admitted that being overlooked following India’s T20 World Cup triumph had hurt him. Having expected to continue representing the country after being part of a historic campaign, Suryakumar said the disappointment had now become a source of motivation.
“After winning the World Cup, you naturally expect that you will play after the IPL or whenever India’s first series takes place. Because you have won a major tournament, and winning an ICC event is not easy, especially on home soil, something nobody had achieved before,” Suryakumar was quoted as saying by PTI.
“But the selectors must have had their reasons and must have thought things through before taking that decision. But yes, I was hurt. If you don’t feel sad or hurt, how will you turn that into passion, and how will you play with that passion? That is what I am trying to do now,” he added.
‘I WILL HAVE TO BREAK THE DOOR DOWN’
Suryakumar believes the setback has reignited the hunger that drove him to establish himself in the Indian team. The 35-year-old is now determined to make the most of his opportunities in domestic cricket and earn another shot at international cricket.
“The same hunger I had earlier to play for India, when I used to score runs after returning to domestic cricket, has come back again. If I want to play for India again, I will have to break the door down once more. All right, let’s do it,” he said.
The Mumbai batter also expressed gratitude to Mumbai Cricket Association president Ajinkya Naik for appointing him captain of the state side during a challenging phase of his career.
Suryakumar said the decision reflected the faith and respect the association continued to have in him, even when he was no longer part of India’s plans.
“To stand by me during that difficult period, show support and make me the captain of the state team again – he could have chosen someone else. He had that option, but the responsibility, love and respect he has given me mean a lot. I will always remain grateful and humble for that,” he said.
ADAPTING TO THE NEW T20 GAME
Suryakumar also spoke about the evolving demands of T20 cricket, with teams increasingly targeting totals of 250 and 260. He believes batters must maintain their attacking intent beyond the powerplay and continue taking calculated risks through the middle overs.
“After that, when we bat between overs seven and 15, it is important to maintain the same intensity and intent, even when playing for India. If we have to score 250-260, then that is what we have to do, and I am trying to follow that approach,” he said.
“The ‘high-risk, high-reward’ game in the middle overs has always been part of my batting. But now I am trying to understand how I can take even more risks and hit more boundaries and sixes because T20 cricket has become a format dominated by boundaries and sixes,” he added.
With his India comeback firmly on the agenda, Suryakumar will be keen to build on his impressive start in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Consistent performances for Mumbai could strengthen his case for a return, as he looks to turn his renewed hunger into another opportunity to represent the country.
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