Suryakumar Yadav discloses team’s chat with Hardik Pandya over Lucknow pitch: “It was like, whatever we get in the future, we’ll go on with it”
Team India's vice-captain Suryakumar Yadav downplayed skipper Hardik Pandya’s "shocker of a wicket" comment after the hosts struggled to victory in the second T20I against New Zealand in Lucknow on Sunday, January 29. Suryakumar revealed that the team had a chat afterwards and decided that whatever type of wicket they encounter in the future, they’ll get on with it.
A massive controversy erupted after Pandya’s openly hit out at the pitch curator of the second T20I in Lucknow while speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony. On Tuesday, media reports claimed that the curator had been sacked over his inability to prepare a good pitch for a T20I game.
Ahead of the decider at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, February 1, the Lucknow pitch was very much in focus. At a press conference ahead of the third T20I, Suryakumar was asked for his views on Pandya describing the Lucknow surface as a 'shocker'. He laughed it off and replied:
“It’s completely fine. We had a chat later on and it was like, whatever we get in the future, we’ll go on with it.”
Incidentally, both Suryakumar and Pandya were at the crease during the closing moments of the Lucknow T20I. They added an unbroken 31 for the fifth wicket to take India over the line in a chase of 100 with one ball to spare.
Despite the tense situation, the duo were seen having a laugh out in the middle in the last over of the game. Opening up on the conversation, SKY revealed:
“You know what the situation was. We’ve been batting together for a very long time. We’ve had some good partnerships as well in the past. At that time, it was very important for both of us to have good communication, have a nice atmosphere as it was little tense situation in that last over.
“We were just trying to have a laugh, backing each other and telling each other - whoever gets an opportunity, let’s try and finish the game."
🏻#TeamIndia vice-captain @surya_14kumar describes his excitement ahead of playing in front of a packed crowd in the #INDvNZ T20I decider at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium 🏟️ in Ahmedabad, where he made his international debut 😃👌🏻 https://t.co/Nu2shQUIxG
Suryakumar hit the winning runs in the match, smashing the penultimate delivery of the 20th over from Blair Tickner over mid-off for four.
“We did what was in our control” - Suryakumar Yadav on Lucknow pitch talk
Asked for his personal views on the Lucknow pitch controversy, Suryakumar replied that it’s a domain beyond their control. He asserted that the players applied themselves and got the desired results. The 32-year-old concluded:
“I feel it doesn’t matter what soil you play on. These are things which aren’t in your control. We did what was in our control in the last game. We had to adapt and apply and move on with the situation.”
We held our nerves.
Series leveled. See you in Ahmedabad 💪💙 https://t.co/a5HO4VCtQ5
Suryakumar was named Player of the Match for his 26* off 31 balls in the Lucknow encounter, steering the team home after they faltered in a chase of 100.