Agar Surya the leader hi khush nahi rahega, toh baaki 14 log kaise khush rahenge?: Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav, who was the chief guest at the convocation ceremony of an Ahmedabad-based university, instantly won over everyone present as he said, “Kem cho? Thodu thodu Gujarati mane pan aave che. Aapke saamne khada hoon....open book....puch lo jo puchna hai. Sab sach hi jawaab milega, main seedhi baat karta hoon. Abhi toh aap ko team bhi bata diya hain (referring to India’s squad announcement for the upcoming T20 World Cup), and sab log khush hain (laughs). If we qualify for the final, we will be playing in Ahmedabad on March 8. So, I hope we do that; see all of you there.”

He also told the students, “Success is not just about talent, but about resilience and commitment. You are now stepping into a world that requires leadership, both on and off the field. Let your dedication guide you as you move forward in your professional journeys. Education is very important. My parents always insisted that I have a degree, and it was great advice. You need knowledge about other things also apart from sports. Life mein aage jaa ke kabhi meri family badi hogi, toh mujhe uss (bachche) ko bhi toh kuch seekhana padega na? I don’t want to hear, “Papa, aap ne degree nahi liya, toh main kyu karoon le ke? (laughs). In my family, everyone has an academic background, and nobody played sports. Even my parents would tell me, “Doctor bano, engineering kar lo,”, but main nayi soch wala tha. I am glad to see sports management being taught at universities today.”




‘Always tell the team not to think of personal milestones’

Talking about his captaincy style, SKY, as he is popularly known, says, “In a team environment, sab ko freedom of speech dena bahut zaroori hai. I have learned that from my seniors. Every player brings something different to the table, and you must listen to everyone. I also tell the team not to think of personal milestones. In a team sport, you have to always think about what the team needs in that situation.”

He adds, “Also, no matter what’s going on in my life on and off the field, it’s important for a captain to keep smiling. Agar Surya the leader hi khush nahi rahega, toh baaki 14 log kaise khush rahenge?”

‘Form thoda upar-neeche chal raha hai’

Asked about his recent dip in form, SKY says, “Koi bhi sportsperson ke liye humesha achha time nahi rehta hain. You always have phases when you won’t do that well, but it’s a constant learning process and sport teaches you a lot. Filhal form thoda upar-neeche chal raha hai, but mere liye baaki 14 jawan log (teammates) cover kar rahe hain. Lekin sab ko maalum hain, jis din SKY blast hoga, toh kya hoga (laughs)!”

He adds, “Exam mein agar kam marks aate hain, toh aap padhaai thodi na chhod dete ho! I am working very hard and feel positive that I will start doing well very soon.”

‘Always wanted to invent my own shot’

Talking about his famous supla shot, he says, “When I started playing cricket, I wanted to do something different. I wanted to invent my own shot, which would become a trademark, and people would remember me for it. I kept practising the shot at every practice session and also played it multiple times in my mind. So, when the opportunity came in an international match (he hit his first ball in international cricket for six), I was ready for it. And after playing that shot in a match, I never looked back. Aajkal toh sab woh shot maar rahe hain (smiles)!”

‘It’s not just my catch that won us the WC’

Asked about his incredible catch of David Miller in the final of the 2024 T20 WC, which played a huge role in Team India’s famous win, SKY says, “Let me make one thing clear—it’s not just my catch that won us the World Cup. When South Africa needed just 30 runs off 30 balls, Hardik (Pandya), Jasprit (Bumrah) and Arshdeep (Singh) bowled brilliantly to create that situation, where I could get an opportunity to do something special for my country.”

He adds, “When the ball was in the air, itna time nahi tha sochne ka. I was just thinking that kuch bhi kar ke ball andar dhakel doon. Throughout the year, we practise such catches. So, I knew that one day, I would get an opportunity to do something special in a match. Lekin aise time pe yeh aayega, woh pata nahi tha! I think God was kind to ensure I was part of such a moment. Otherwise, it’s usually Virat (Kohli) bhai who fields in that position. It was a magical moment.”Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Happy New Year wishes, messages and quotes !