Team India managed to win the second T20I against New Zealand on Sunday with Hardik Pandya (15 not out off 20) and Suryakumar Yadav (26 not out off 31) taking the team over the line with a ball to spare and six wickets in hand.
In a light-hearted conversation after the match, Suryakumar Yadav credited Yuzvendra Chahal for his batting tips and said, “Thank you, I am using your batting tips. You are my batting coach. Sab sikhata hai yeh.” Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav and Suryakumar Yadav were in conversation during the Chahal TV interview, shared by the BCCI’s official Twitter handle.
On being asked about his slow batting on Lucknow’s pitch, Suryakumar said, “I was there in the middle with a clear mindset that it’s a tough wicket to play on and it was important for someone to play till last. It was equally important to build small partnerships and adapt to the situations. I knew this was a totally different wicket than the ones I play freely. I was confident that if I managed to stay till last, I could win the game in the last over as well. When Hardik came in, we had a chat and planned to take the game till last.”
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The ever-so-adaptable Mr. 360 👍Laughter, insights & banter unfold as @yuzi_chahal hosts @imkuldeep18 & @surya_14kumar on Chahal TV 📺 in Lucknow 👌 👌 – By @ameyatilak
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Talking about the pressure of three runs needed off the last two balls, SKY said, “We were confident enough to win the game and Hardik and I were in a conversation that if any one of us gets the big hit, the match is ours. We did not panic and the communication with Hardik was very important.”
Introducing himself as a local boy at Lucknow’s Ikana stadium, Kuldeep Yadav asked his long-time partner Yuzvendra Chahal about his feeling of being the highest wicket-taker in T20I for India.” It feels good to be the highest wicket-taker in any format. I had never thought of this when started playing.”
Chahal has become the highest wicket-taker for Team India in T20I history. The leg-spinner achieved the landmark during the second T20I against New Zealand in Lucknow on Sunday. The 32-year-old came out all guns blazing in the second game after being dropped for the opening match, which India lost by 21 runs.
Daryl Mitchell got a beauty from Kuldeep that came back in sharply to shatter the stumps. Talking about his special delivery to Mitchell, Kuldeep said, “I don’t plan it but considering the pitch today, playing the incoming deliveries was getting tough. Batsmen were not getting time due to the pace so it spun and it helped.”
The trio of Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav impressed on a helping surface to limit a self-destructing New Zealand to 99 for eight, their lowest total against India in the shortest format.