"Please don't take this lightly, he is my batting coach" - Suryakumar Yadav & Yuzvendra Chahal's hilarious banter
Suryakumar Yadav won the Player of the Match award in the second T20I against New Zealand in Lucknow on Sunday (January 30) to help India to a series-leveling win. However, he didn't play the kind of quickfire innings that fans naturally associate with the No. 1 ranked T20I batter.
On a tough track, Yadav hit just one boundary and scored 26 runs in 31 balls, staying unbeaten until the end and taking his team over the line.
In a video posted by the BCCI, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal asked Yadav in a light-hearted way whether the latter had taken some lessons from his batting. SKY, a witty character himself, then began his sarcastic response by saying:
"I tried to work hard on whatever advice you (Chahal) gave me last series and I hope you continue to help me with your guidance. Viewers, please don't take this lightly, he is my batting coach."
Hardik Pandya and I were constantly communicating with each other: Suryakumar Yadav
After Washington Sundar's run-out in the 15th over, India were in a tricky situation. Despite needing just 31 more runs from 33 balls, another wicket could have possibly sent jitters into their dressing room.
However, captain Hardik Pandya joined vice-captain Suryakumar Yadav at the crease and the duo took it upon themselves to take India over the line.
Here's what SKY had to say about the communication that the two senior batters shared in the middle:
"Even when the situation got close in the end, I and Hardik were constantly communicating with each other and that calmed things down.
"Whenever I missed a shot or he missed a shot, we told each other that we were just one big shot away from victory. So those conversations really helped."
India ultimately reached the target in the final over, winning with two balls to spare. It helped them even the three-match series at 1-1, with the final T20I set to take place in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, February 1.
Indiaβs T20I squad against New Zealand: Hardik Pandya (c), Suryakumar Yadav (vc), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi, Prithvi Shaw, Mukesh Kumar.