- Suryakumar Yadav insisted he did not touch the rope.
- Yadav discussed the catch's execution.
- Yadav emphasized the years of practice.
Yadav was adamant that he “hadn’t touched the rope,” even though numerous social media videos suggested that he had made contact with the boundary line while securing the catch.
“Rohit [Sharma] bhai is not usually positioned at long-on, but he was there at that instant,” Suryakumar conveyed to The Indian Express. "As the ball approached, we exchanged glances. I sprinted with the intention to catch it. If Rohit had been nearer, I would’ve passed it to him. However, he was too far away. The events of those few seconds are indescribable.
"After propelling the ball and completing the catch, I was certain I hadn’t grazed the rope. My focus was to ensure that my feet didn’t hit the rope as I retrieved the ball. I was confident it was a legitimate catch.
Looking back, the outcome could have been different. A six would have changed the game to five balls, ten runs needed. The victory might have still been ours, but with a narrower win margin."
Regarding his inspiration for the catch, Suryakumar mentioned that fielding coach T Dilip had started awarding a fielding medal post-match, which “motivated everyone to go the extra mile on the field.”
“I’ve rehearsed such catches at various venues, taking the wind into account,” he explained. "I positioned myself wider since Hardik [Pandya] and Rohit bhai had set up for a wide yorker, and [David] Miller hit it straight. I was determined to make the catch no matter what.
“We conduct an intensive fielding drill the day before a match, involving numerous high and flat catches, direct hits, and slip catching for about 10-12 minutes. This isn’t just a one-off; I regularly practice these catches during the IPL and bilateral series. The catch from yesterday was a testament to years of diligent practice.”
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