India head coach Ravi Shastri on Wednesday asked the Mumbai Indians batsman Surya Kumar Yadavto stay strong and be patient to get a national team call-up.
Yadav led Mumbai Indians to an important victory against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and won the Man of the Match award. The innings came shortly after he missed out on the Indian squad selected for the upcoming tour of Australia.
Soon after the match taking to Twitter, Ravi Shastri wrote: "Surya namaskar. Stay strong and patient @surya_14kumar #MIvsRCB."
Yadav, who recently made headlines after being left out of Team India's upcoming Australia Tour appeared to be batting with a grim determination on Wednesday. On Monday, the selection committee announced the squads for all three formats for the upcoming series between India and Australia. Surya Kumar Yadav did not find a place in the white-ball squad and as a result, many users on social media started to ask as to why Surya Kumar Yadav has not been selected even after consistent performances in domestic cricket and Indian Premier League (IPL).
But on Wednesday, Surya Kumar responded in the best possible and let his bat do the talking. He looked determined to send across a statement, that he was calm and cool despite not being selected for the Indian team. Surya Kumar Yadav played an unbeaten knock of 79 runs off 43 balls to lead MI to victory with five balls to spare.
During the match, there was a moment where Surya Kumar Yadav's silent stare at Kohli spoke a thousand words. In the last ball of the 13th over, a brief interaction between Kohli and Yadav became a talking point on social media. Since it was the end of the over, Kohli kept walking towards the crease while Surya Kumar stood and stared at Kohli. Both players kept looking at each other before a brief interaction after which Surya Kumar walked away.
After the match, Mumbai Indians captain Kieron Pollard said that Surya Kumar Yadav would be disappointed to not be selected for the Indian team.
"We lost a few wickets but Surya took us home. Imagine, someone, coming in at that number and batting at that strike rate despite a wicket going down. The most he can do is continue performing for us. As an individual, if you continue to be consistent, the rewards will come," Pollard told host-broadcaster Star Sports at the post-match presentation.
"I have always done what the team wants me to do. If the team performs well, I am happy. Deep down inside he (Surya) must be very very disappointed to not have donned the blue for India," he added.
(Inputs from Agencies)
