It is well known that Suryakumar Yadav is a happy and amiable person. The Indian T20 captain brightened the faces of the Oman players on Friday night with a small gesture of kindness that went far beyond the Asia Cup match’s result.
As the players were cooling off inside the stadium following the post-match formalities, Surya, who had been summoned by deputy head coach Sulakshan Kulkarni, stepped over. Oman had battled valiantly before losing to the world cricket powerhouses by 21 runs.
It didn’t take much persuasion from Kulkarni, a former Mumbai stumper who has watched Surya develop from his under-16 days. With a single request, the captain of India appeared, grinning, and eager to speak with Jatinder Singh and his energetic team.
“Surya spoke about the game and praised us which means a lot. Our boys had questions on how to play in different phases of T20 game. It was really nice to have a chat with him,” Oman skipper Jatinder said.
The gathering on the lush green outfield was informal but full of warmth. Surya commended the team as a whole for playing their shots freely and not being intimidated by big stars.
The two half-centurions, Aamir Kaleem and Hammad Mirza, received particular recognition from him, who said that their daring batting against India would serve as an example for people back home.
For the Oman players, the conversation was more about validation—a superstar taking the time to recognize their fight—than it was about strategy.
The Oman cricketers were beaming like they had just won a trophy as cell phones came out, and Surya gladly obliged with selfies and a group photo.
It was a brief moment, but it demonstrated why the Indian captain is frequently referred to as the people’s cricketer.
The Indian cricket board (BCCI) shared a video of the interaction on their official X handle:
