IPL 2020: Twitter erupts in defence of Suryakumar Yadav after stare-off with Virat Kohli during MI v RCB match

Just two days after being snubbed by the Indian selectors for the upcoming tour of Australia, Suryakumar Yadav played a classy innings for Mumbai Indians to guide them to a comfortable win over the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

The No. 3 batsman scored an unbeaten 79 off only 43 balls, with 10 fours and three sixes. With that five-wicket win over RCB, Mumbai Indians have almost confirmed an IPL 2020 playoffs spot for themselves.

However, there was a moment in the game which has caused a war on Twitter between fans of Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav.

In the last ball of the 13th over, Yadav hit Dale Steyn to extra cover where the ball was fielded by the RCB captain.

After collecting the ball, Virat Kohli was seen walking towards the crease in a bid to sledge Yadav, but the Mumbai batsman silently stared back at him without any reaction. Both players stared at each other until Suryakumar Yadav walked away.

Suryakumar Yadav could not have found a better way to respond to his Team India snub. He sent across a grand statement to the selectors by scoring a half-century against a team led by the Team India skipper.

Yadav silently celebrated after finishing the match for Mumbai, sending a 'don't worry I'm there' gesture to the dressing room following his winning boundary.

Earlier in the game, Devdutt Padikkal and new opener Josh Phillipe added 71 runs together in less than eight overs. But the four-time champions stormed back into the contest by picking up four wickets in the space of 14 balls, chiefly due to the exploits of star pacer Jasprit Bumrah.

RCB could manage only 165 runs in their 20 overs, a target which was chased down by the Mumbai Indians with three balls to spare.

Twitter lauds Suryakumar Yadav and criticizes Virat Kohli

Suryakumar Yadav has 362 runs in 12 matches in IPL 2020 at a strike rate of 155.

Twitter, meanwhile, lauded Suryakumar Yadav for making his bat talk once again after being denied a national call-up. Virat Kohli, on the other hand, was at the receiving end of some harsh words for trying to put Yadav off his game.

Have a look at some of the tweets here:

Suryakumar Yadav's Tweets for Virat Kohli. Suryakumar Yadav always loved Virat Kohli's batting and always Appreciate Kohli's Performance and Achivements🙌.!! pic.twitter.com/PYvXi81rht

— CricketMAN2 (@man4_cricket) October 28, 2020

Dhoni with youngstersKohli with youngstersClass 🥰 pic.twitter.com/RvC5LPoOBR

— CA Anshu # (@Tharakipan) October 28, 2020

That stare, that damned stare 👀🔥and clearly Suryakumar Yadav won it. You don't get to see any player especially an Indian giving it back to Kohli. Absolutely loved the confidence and cold aggression in that stare 🔥#RCBvsMI #MIvsRCB pic.twitter.com/0Jy9BqHgeG

— Adarsh (@BeingAdarshhh) October 28, 2020

Definitely Virat will end his career as the best batsman with all the records and stuffs but he'll never be placed in the same brackets with Sachins and Dravids only because of his over aggressive behaviour. Agression is good but against our own players? 👎

— Adarsh (@BeingAdarshhh) October 29, 2020

Shameful act by virat kohli and no reason for sledge to Surya Kumar Yadav #SuryakumarYadav pic.twitter.com/y4mtnzq2j5

— Sam (@sameersheikh45) October 29, 2020

@imVkohli ghamandi saala

— Yashramanuj 🇮🇳 (@yashramanuj_1) October 29, 2020

Kohli came to sledge SuryaKumar Yadav during the break and Surya left like a gentleman. This shows how desperate Virat is to win this IPL. Didn’t expect this from a player like Virat Kohli.#MIvsRCB pic.twitter.com/AezwF3gyuG

— Nishant Bhardwaj (@Nishant_Bliss) October 28, 2020

If Virat Kohli doesn't change his mind after watching this knock from Suryakumar Yadav, then I don't know what to say. Cristiano Ronaldo did something like this in front of Sir Alex Ferguson, and Fergie was left with no option but to get him in his team. Kohli should do the same

— Sreshth Shah (@sreshthx) October 28, 2020

For all those thinking virat kohli did nothing 😂😂He is abusing surya and you guys expect him to not even stare at Kohli 😂Last ball of 10th over ( before that staring) #MIvRCB #SuryakumarYadav pic.twitter.com/56eE84dR5I

— sagar (@SagarJ4501) October 28, 2020

I don't know whether it was about the selection or not but what Kohli has done today was not in good taste.No matter why Naseeruddin Shah called him world's worst behaved cricketer....#IPL #IPL2020 #MIvsRCB#MIvRCB #ViratKohli #Kohli#SuryakumarYadav #RCB #MI#Yadav #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/KXDbaEIia0

— Gandharv Sharma (@_gandharv_) October 28, 2020

Suryakumar yadav just slapped @BCCI & @imVkohli with his bat...🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/HanVGYrvQs

— Hari krishnan (@Harikri90816319) October 28, 2020