"Do the things you do, don't think too much" - Suryakumar Yadav on Ravi Shastri's pep talk ahead of his Team India debut 

Team India batter Suryakumar Yadav opened up about his conversation with then-head coach Ravi Shastri ahead of his international debut in March 2021. The Mumbai-born batter made his maiden appearance for the national side in the third T20I against England last year.

Although he didn't get to bat on his international debut, he famously scored a fifty in his maiden innings for India in the fourth T20I and followed it up by taking two catches as he was adjudged the Player of the Match.

His first-ever fifty was only a mere glimpse of what was to come as his consistent displays in national team colors made him a part of India's T20 World Cup 2021 squad.

Recalling how Shastri prepped him for the game with an inspiring conversation, Suryakumar said in the latest edition of the Cricket Monthly:

"On the day of the game he called me and he was like: "Do the things you do, don't think too much, attack. First punch dena unko" [Land the first punch]. I said: "Yes sir, I'll try and do that." It was really motivating to hear that on the day of the game."

The right-handed batter indeed landed the first punch during his maiden international innings by hitting an audacious first-ball six off Jofra Archer. The fearless brand, which Suryakumar continues to employ to this day, was etched in stone at the time.

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"When it didn't come, obviously I was disappointed" - Suryakumar Yadav on not being selected for the tour of Australia in 2020

Suryakumar was primed for Team India's first assignment following the outbreak of COVID-19. The Mumbai Indians (MI) batter had a fruitful campaign in the rescheduled tournament in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

However, in the lead up to the playoffs, the announced squad for Australia tour did not include his name.

Noting that he was hurt by the omission, he said:

"I mean all the team-mates from different countries [during the IPL] were telling me, "Your opportunity has come, you are doing so well." And I was also very excited at that time, and I imagined things: yes, I'll do this, I'll do that when I play for India. But then, when it didn't come, obviously I was disappointed."

The Mumbai-born player only had to wait a few more months to earn his maiden call-up and subsequently make his first Team India appearance.

Should the right-handed batter have been called up sooner by the selection committee? Let us know what you think.

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