'I love batting with you, it was important for me that you stay' - Suryakumar Yadav opens up in candid chat with Virat Kohli

The duo of Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav smashed all around the park when India challenged Hong Kong to qualify for the Super Four of the Asia Cup. The flamboyant batter, Suryakumar Yadav, scored 68* off 26 deliveries which included 6 boundaries and 6 sixes. Meanwhile, the former India captain Virat Kohli registered 59 off 44 balls but most importantly, showed glimpses of his return back to form.

After beating Hong Kong by 40 runs, the duo sat for an interview where Kohli expressed how he was blown away seeing Surya bat. The 31-year-old was going after any and every bowler right from the time he came to the crease. Surya later expressed how Virat Kohli being on the other hand helped him to express freely. Speaking to BCCI TV, the Mumbai Indians player also spoke why it was important for Virat to stick to the crease during his blistering knock.

“Firstly, I love batting with him,” said Suryakumar Yadav. He added, “When we were sitting inside, I was talking with Rishabh about how to take this game ahead as the wicket was a little slow. When I went to bat, I just tried to be myself and do what I love doing. So, it was a simple plan. In the first ten balls, I wanted to hit three-four boundaries and when I got that, I just kept batting. At that moment, I knew I needed you there and that’s why I told you to bat from one end as it will be easy for you to cover up later on”.

Speaking to Virat Kohli how his performance helped him, Surya said, “I know when you bat 30-35 balls, your next 10 balls you bat with a strike rate of 200-250. So, it was important for me that you stay there so that I can bat freely till the 20th over. I really enjoyed whatever happened.”

Suryakumar Yadav also said that he was trying to hit 6 sixes in the final over of that match. He hit four to Haroon Arshad and couldn’t catch Yuvraj Singh, who hit 6 sixes against Stuart Broad in the 2007 T20 World Cup.

I felt good with my batting in the last couple of games: Virat Kohli

Coming to the Asia Cup, Virat Kohli’s form was the focal point of every discussion. The pundits regularly said that it’s just a matter of time but a lot of people on social media wanted someone new in his place. Rohit Sharma and other members of the team constantly backed the former India captain and the result is there for everyone to see.

Kohli’s break from cricket was heavily criticised but people understood when he opened up about his mental health. Kohli took 6 weeks off from the game and previously revealed how he didn’t touch the bat for an entire month. Coming to the Asia Cup, Kohli looked confident and now played two good innings against Pakistan first and then against Hong Kong. His 59 is an indication of his return to form as the 33-year-old revealed that he felt good while batting in the last couple of matches. Now, this might not be a major thing but given his performance in the last two years and his mental health condition, this is a positive thing for Virat Kohli and the Indian team.

“It was nice to get a couple of games where I felt good with my batting. For me the milestones and the amount of runs is irrelevant. It’s how you feel when you bat and I felt very good,” said Kohli after India’s win over Hong Kong.