Suryakumar Yadav has long been celebrated as India’s very own “Mr. 360°”, a batsman capable of lighting up stadiums with breathtaking shots from every angle. Yet behind the dazzling stroke play and fearless batting lies a quieter struggle. As the 33-year-old works to regain his place in India’s ODI side, he has turned to one of his biggest inspirations — South African legend AB de Villiers — for advice on how to bridge the gap between T20 and 50-over cricket.
In a recent interview, Suryakumar Yadav opened up about his challenges in adapting his natural attacking style to the longer white-ball format. He confessed that while his T20 approach has brought him success and admiration across the world, it has not translated into the same consistency in ODIs. He admitted that he once believed ODIs could be played like extended T20s but has since realised that the two formats demand very different mindsets and pacing.
Suryakumar Yadav expressed a genuine desire to learn from AB de Villiers, whose mastery of both the formats remains legendary. He said that if he gets the opportunity to meet his idol, he would ask him how he managed to balance the aggression of T20s with the patience and adaptability needed for ODIs. His words carried the humility of a player willing to evolve, even after achieving stardom.
With 37 ODIs to his name and 773 runs at an average of 25, Suryakumar Yadav knows his record in the format falls short of expectations. Despite a sensational IPL 2025 season where he scored over 600 runs, his international ODI form has not matched his domestic brilliance and he has not featured in India’s 50-over squad since the 2023 World Cup.
When told during the interview that AB de Villiers might see his message, Suryakumar Yadav turned directly to the camera, his tone shifting from confident to sincere. He urged his idol to reach out, saying that he was eager to learn and determined to make the most of the few vital years left in his career.
Currently leading India in a T20I series against Australia, which stands level at 1-1, SKY hopes that rediscovering his rhythm in the shortest format could help him regain balance across formats.
Suryakumar Yadav’s emotional appeal serves as a reminder that even the brightest stars in cricket are constantly learning, searching and striving, a proof that humility and hunger often go hand in hand with greatness.
