Mumbai Indians batter Suryakumar Yadav recently reflected on his debut season for Mumbai Indians in 2011 and said that he “barely slept” the night before the game. Suryakumar first came into prominence during the 2011–12 Ranji Trophy season, where he emerged as the top scorer for Mumbai with 754 runs in nine matches. His impressive domestic form earned him a spot in the Mumbai Indians squad the same year. In the 2012 IPL, Suryakumar made his debut for Mumbai Indians against Pune Warriors at the Wankhede Stadium. He played in one match and was dismissed for a duck. This was also the only match he played for MI in that season.

After a brief stint, he moved to Kolkata Knight Riders in 2013 and played a key role in their middle order, contributing to their title win in 2014.

“I barely slept the night before my debut for Mumbai Indians – went to bed around 4 or 5 in the morning. There was so much excitement. Playing for a franchise brings a different kind of buzz. I was just enjoying the moment, thinking about stepping onto the field for warm-up and as soon as I did, I was already sweating. It felt really good,” Suryakumar said on JioHotstar’s special show, The Suryakumar Yadav Experience.

In 2018, Suryakumar returned to Mumbai Indians and enjoyed a breakthrough season with 512 runs, becoming a vital part of their batting lineup. His performances in the 2019 and 2020 seasons were instrumental in MI’s title runs and eventually led to his much-awaited national team call-up.

“In 2018, I didn’t expect to open. I didn’t in the first two games, but then the team management came to me and said they wanted me to take on that responsibility. I was keen, so I embraced it. From there, it was up to me to make the most of the opportunity. I didn’t overthink it. Having played all my cricket in Mumbai, I was familiar with the conditions at Wankhede and the pitches. I just kept playing and practicing. I didn’t expect to have a season with 500 runs as my previous seasons never went beyond 200, but this felt different.”

He also recalled the IPL 2019 final between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, which Mumbai eventually won by one run. Although he didn’t directly take part in the last-over decision-making, he was closely observing. “I was standing at a distance when Rohit and Malinga were talking. Malinga just said, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll do it.’ And he did. That moment taught me how important calmness is in such pressure situations.”

One of the most emotional moments in his career came in 2020 when he was not picked for the Indian team’s tour of Australia. He had been doing well in domestic cricket and also had a good IPL season. “Everyone thought I would be selected. Even overseas players were saying the same. When I didn’t see my name in the squad, I didn’t talk to anyone for 2-3 days. I didn’t practice either. Mahela and Zaheer could see that something was wrong,” Suryakumar said.

From 2021 onwards, Suryakumar has changed the way he approaches T20 batting. “Earlier, I was batting at a strike rate of 140–150. But the game changed. So I started practicing different shots to stay ahead of the bowlers and captains. I focused on areas where I could score with less risk. My century this season against Sunrisers Hyderabad came because of that practice.”

Suryakumar has grown into a dependable batter for India and MI, known for his aggressive and inventive shot-making. He was part of India’s victorious squad at the 2024 T20 World Cup and is now leading the national T20 side following Rohit Sharma’s retirement. In 160 IPL matches, Suryakumar has scored more than 4,000 runs, including two centuries and 27 half-centuries.

Mumbai Indians gear up for a crucial match against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on Thursday.

–IANS

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