“Virat Kohli’s Sledging Was On Another Level”: Suryakumar Yadav on IPL 2020 face-off

In the 2020 season of the Indian Premier League , there was an intense face-off between Mumbai Indians star Suryakumar Yadav and then Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli. Chasing 165, MI got off to a slow start, but then Suryakumar ensured that he saw his team home, despite wickets falling around him. His knock of 79 off 43 and his ‘calm down, I got this’ gesture after the match have become famous, but another memory from that game that has stayed on is the stare-off between him and Kohli during his innings.

Speaking to presenter Gaurav Kapur on his show ‘Breakfast With Champions’, Suryakumar revealed that Kohli always has a different energy level on the pitch, but his sledging went up a notch that day as it was an important match for both teams.

“That’s his style. His energy on the ground is always at a different level. And that game was extremely important for both teams so Virat’s sledging was on another level in that match,” he said.

“I was focused on myself, like ‘boss, whatever happens, you cannot lose focus and have to win the match at any cost’. The ball went to him and he made that action from there and it was very instinctive,” he went on to say.

He was appreciated for the calm and composed manner in which he dealt with the situation, up against one of the more feisty characters in Indian cricket.