Suryakumar Yadav reveals why he got angry at Kuldeep Yadav after dropped catch in T20 World Cup

During India's T20 World Cup match against Pakistan at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 15, a moment between Suryakumar Yadav and Kuldeep Yadav caught the attention of cricket fans worldwide. Kuldeep dropped a catch of Shaheen Shah Afridi off Hardik Pandya's bowling during the 18th over of Pakistan's chase, and Suryakumar was visibly seen scolding the spinner near the boundary.

The tense on-field exchange went viral on social media, with Hardik Pandya also appearing visibly frustrated at the moment.

Why Suryakumar got angry at Kuldeep during the match

Suryakumar Yadav has now opened up about what led to his reaction during that match. The India captain explained that Kuldeep was disappointed about not getting a chance to bowl earlier in the innings. Suryakumar had completed Axar Patel's spell and then bowled Tilak Varma, Varun Chakravarthy and Hardik before finally bringing Kuldeep into the attack.

"The match started, and there was no time to bowl him. He was a little disappointed and wanted to bowl. I completed Axar's spell and then bowled Tilak, Varun, and Hardik. He was like, 'Meri bowling kyu nahi aa rahi hai?' There was a chance of a catch when he was at long-on," Suryakumar was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

"He ran very casually, and it was an easy catch according to his skills. He dropped the catch, and I got angry at that time. If he dropped the catch after making an effort, that's fine, but he did not put in any effort," he added.

The captain's immediate reaction was rooted in frustration at the lack of effort rather than the mistake itself. Suryakumar felt that Kuldeep's casual approach to the catch, combined with his earlier disappointment at not bowling, had led to a lapse in concentration. The moment became one of the talking points from the match, with viewers debating whether the exchange was a serious confrontation or just competitive intensity on the field.

How the two players clarified the incident

After the match ended, Suryakumar and Kuldeep clarified that their heated exchange was not a serious fallout but rather a moment of competitive intensity. The two players met after the game and discussed what had transpired on the field. Suryakumar explained the context of his reaction, and Kuldeep understood the captain's perspective.

"When we met after the match, we looked at each other in anger. He turned red in anger, and I also looked at him angrily. It looked like that on the screen, but it was banter. After landing in Ahmedabad, I got an idea about the reel. Sometimes it's good to lighten up the moment," Suryakumar said.

The captain even shared a humorous video with Kuldeep where he recreated his "angry" reaction before breaking into a smile, showing the friendly nature of their relationship.