Suryakumar Yadav Breaks Silence On Controversial ‘Rope Touch’ Catch in T20 World Cup Final

July 2, 2024 0 677

Suryakumar Yadav, who took a crucial catch to dismiss David Miller in the final over of the T20 World Cup final, has shed light on his thought process during the dramatic moment.

The catch, which helped India secure victory over South Africa, sparked debate as replays were inconclusive regarding whether Suryakumar Yadav’s foot touched the boundary rope. The star Indian batter recently opened up about the catch he took. “Rohit Sharma, who usually fields at long-on, was positioned further away on that particular delivery. When the ball went up, we made eye contact for a split second. I knew I had a better chance of catching it, so I went for it,” Yadav revealed in an interview with the Indian Express.

“I was confident that I didn’t touch the rope while securing the catch. My only concern was ensuring my foot stayed inside the boundary while bringing the ball back into play. Looking back, anything could have happened, but the catch turned the tide in our favour,” reflected Suryakumar.

Yadav also credited the team’s fielding coach, T. Dilip, for instilling a strong fielding focus. “Dilip introduced a fielding medal awarded after each match, which motivated everyone to put in extra effort,” he explained.

“The specific catch I took is one I’ve practiced extensively at various grounds, adjusting for wind conditions. Since Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma were positioned for a wide yorker and Miller hit straight, I knew I had to catch it no matter what,” Yadav added.

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He elaborated on his training routine, stating, “We have a dedicated fielding session before every match, where we practice high catches, flat catches, direct hits, and slip catching for 10–12 minutes. This isn’t a one-time exercise. I practice these catches regularly during the IPL and bilateral series. Today’s catch was the culmination of years of hard work,” concluded Yadav.

The skilled batter had decent tournament stats in the T20 World Cup, scoring 199 runs throughout the tournament while maintaining a strike rate of 135.37.