Follow UsWith 16 needed off six deliveries, the T20 World Cup 2024 could have been anyone’s.
India had to get rid of the dangerous David Miller, and the South African batter had to clear the ropes. The juncture was crucial, and patrolling the long-off boundary was none other than Suryakumar Yadav, one of India’s best fielders. The ploy was evident, wide yorker, get Miller to time it straight to Suryakumar.
Also Read: Suryakumar Yadav, and the story of (arguably) the greatest catch in history
Off the first delivery, that’s exactly what happened. Hardik Pandya's low wide full toss was muscled straight to the long-off region, but the ball came at a pace, and Suryakumar had to work his feet around the ropes. The 33-year-old took immaculate decisions in a split second and ended up taking the catch of the tournament.
But what was going on in his head as he witnessed the ball travelling towards him?
"Rohit bhai usually never stands at long-on but at that moment he was there," Suryakumar told The Indian Express. "So when the ball was coming, for a second I looked at him and he looked at me. I ran and my aim was to catch the ball. Had he [Rohit] been closer, I would have thrown the ball towards him. But he was nowhere close. In those four to five seconds, whatever happened, I can't explain."
While Suryakumar’s catch looked clean in the first few replays, other evidence on the internet suggested that the Indian batter could have stepped on the toblerone. But the Mumbaikar recollected every single detail of the catch.
"When I pushed the ball and took the catch, I knew I hadn't touched the rope," he said. "The only thing I was cautious about was that when I pushed the ball back inside, my feet don't touch the rope. I knew it was a fair catch. In hindsight, anything could have happened. If the ball had gone for six, the equation would have been five balls, ten runs. We might have still won, but the margin would have been closer."
Since T Dilip has taken over as the fielding coach, the Indian team has undergone a massive paradigm shift in fielding, with more and more fielders putting in efforts on the field. Suryakumar revealed that his catch was a byproduct of the hours of work that was put in at the training sessions, assessing different venues and conditions.
"The catch I took, I have practised it at different grounds, depending on the wind," he said. "I was standing a bit wide because Hardik [Pandya] and Rohit bhai had put a field for the wide yorker, and [David] Miller had hit straight. My mind was clear that I have to catch it come what may.
"A day before the game, we do a quality fielding session where for 10-12 minutes, we have more than ten high catches, flat catches, direct hits, slip catching. It's not a one-day exercise, I practice these kinds of catches during IPL, during bilateral series. Yesterday's catch was the reward of the hard work done over the years."
What was Suryakumar’s reaction after the catch? Well, he was stunned himself.
"In those four to five seconds, whatever happened, I can't explain. The amount of reaction I have been getting for that, people have been calling, messaging; there are more than 1,000 unread WhatsApp messages on my phone. The catch is all over social media. I'm grateful that I was there in those five seconds of play,” he concluded.
If you’ve not downloaded the Cricket.com app yet, you’re missing out — big time. Play Fantasy on Cricket.com NOW! Download the App here.