Suryakumar Yadav Bats For Mumbai And India Cap!

While the trade-off between Hardik Pandya, with the all-rounder going to Mohali, and Arshdeep Singh to MI Paltan has made headlines, Suryakumar Yadav’s telling statement about the importance of the Mumbai cap and India cap, when juxtaposed against the IPL, did not get the attention it deserved. In a panel discussion at a Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) celebration function on November 10, the 360% batter who had a good run in the men in blue colours (Twenty20 format) — in fact at two back-to-back ICC Twenty20 World Cups — drove home a point that a typical Mumbai cricketer grinding it out at the maidans would be keen and eager to play first for Mumbai and India. Yadav, who sports the MI colours, believed that the State and the Country come first. Yadav converted a title-winning shot off South African David Miller in the ICC Twenty20 World Cup final into a “title-winning catch for his own team” in Bridgetown in 2024 and two years later led the men in blue to a win in Ahmedabad. Yadav knows too well what it is like to play for India with thousands in the stands watching live action and millions on the small screen at home. What Yadav meant was that nothing is more overwhelming than playing for, in his case, Mumbai and India. After being dropped like a hot potato for the Ranji Trophy league phase, Yadav was in a chirpy mood, being made captain of the Mumbai team for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Twenty20 tournament. A good run with the bat would perhaps facilitate his entry into the Mumbai team across formats, but on the day the MCA feted its T20 Mumbai League winners, Yadav hit the nail on the head — the ultimate goal is to play for the State and the Country.