- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 218,086
India captain Suryakumar Yadev at the post game presser:
Suryakumar Yadav and star opener Abhishek Sharma after India's victory in the Asia Cup 2025 final:
Q: Captain, seven good matches led to a fantastic end, but a team that wins doesn't get the trophy it deserves. What was the feeling for you as a captain?
Suryakumar Yadav (SKY): I've never seen a champion team denied a trophy since I started playing or following cricket. It was a hard-earned tournament. We deserved it. I can't say anything more. I've summed it up well. My real trophies are my 14 teammates and the support staff in the dressing room. Those are the lovely memories I'll take back.
Q: India won after defeating Pakistan three times in a row, but did not get the trophy. How important is this win despite not getting the trophy?
SKY: The win is important. After the match, the big screen flashed "India Asia Cup 2025 Champions." Every board had 'Champion' written on it. That's what you play for. It was a great moment, a great journey, and a great campaign for us as a team.
Q: India did not collect the trophy during the presentation ceremony. Why? Did the BCCI officially send an email to the ACC about not taking the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi (ACC Chairman and PCB Head)?
SKY: I don't know anything about any email. This was a call we took on the ground ourselves; no one told us to do it. We believe if you win a tournament, especially a hard-earned one like this, you deserve the trophy. We can't say we weren't disappointed, but as you saw, we had a lot of smiles on our faces and were enjoying the moment on the podium.
Q: A journalist suggested that the 'sport has lost' because, despite India winning, not getting the trophy is unprecedented and reflects irresponsible actions and political tensions.
SKY: I think you've said it all: "India has won." Let's look at the positive side: we were unbeaten in the tournament, and the boys stepped up whenever needed. Those are the small trophies we won, and that's important leading into the World Cup. I've never seen a champion team, after a hard-earned tournament, not get a trophy.
Team Performance and Abhishek Sharma
Q: What is the message you want to give to the Indian fans back home who are celebrating but are also confused about the trophy issue?
SKY: Have you not seen the trophy? I brought it, and Abhishek and Shubman have already posted photos with it! After such a good campaign and playing such good cricket, celebration is a must. If you came to our dressing room, you would see the atmosphere. We did what we wanted to do in all departments. The whole country is celebrating, and that's what matters—giving India a reason to celebrate!
Q: What was your experience playing in this tournament, especially with your back-to-back fifties, and how do you respond to the Prime Minister's tweet, which you can see in the video?
Abhishek Sharma: We had a plan to win this tournament, and we did win it, even if we didn't get the trophy in the end. We actually got a trophy (referring to a substitute one brought by SKY), we felt the weight, and we won—that's enough. We play to give the country a smile, and I'm sure the whole country is happy and smiling, which is what we play for.
Q: Abhishek, you've had a long journey (from U-19 World Cup), climbing the stairs to get here. This tournament has made you a fear factor for the opponents. How does it feel?
Abhishek Sharma (Player of the Tournament): I felt that climbing the stairs was necessary. If I had come straight into the team, I wouldn't have learned all the things I did. I got more time to work on my game than many other players, which was a good thing. I've worked hard on how to play in the T20 format and how to fit into the team. This is just the beginning for our team; more miracles will happen in the future.
Q: What are your thoughts on players like Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, and Kuldeep Yadav, who haven't been talked about much in this press conference?
SKY: I don't want to single out any one player because it's a team sport. From the first game to the final, there have been many moments where players stepped up with small, crucial contributions. Tilak's unbelievable knock in the final, Kuldeep and Varun's bowling comeback, and Sanju absorbing pressure. We've climbed slowly, one step at a time, and a collective effort has given India a reason to celebrate.
Q: Captain, you said there's still scope for improvement. Your personal form, perhaps not getting the desired starts, must be a bit bittersweet?
SKY: I didn't even get a start, so the question of converting doesn't arise! I believe in focusing on my preparations and what I do in the nets. The match is on autopilot. I feel I'm not out of form; I'm just out of runs, and those will come if I keep practicing. God is watching, and if you keep working hard, you'll get everything at the right time.
Other Team Matters
Q: At what point did you know Hardik Pandya would be unavailable for the final? Also, talk us through Shivam Dube's performance.
SKY: Hardik was very dejected when he found out he wouldn't play in the final, which was yesterday. He and the sports science team tried their best, but sometimes it's beyond all that. Shivam Dube had a difficult role, but he's been practicing bowling the new ball and in the death overs. He took up the responsibility. I was confident because I've seen him deliver with the ball in domestic cricket (Mumbai). He absorbed the pressure and delivered perfectly with both bat and ball in a high-pressure situation.
Q: After the match, what was the chain of events?
SKY: Rinku Singh hit a boundary, India won the Asia Cup. After that, we came out and celebrated. We cheered for every player's achievement—Tilak and Kuldeep got cars, and we celebrated that, too. We saw the champion board appear and then go away; that's just a part of life. We take it in our stride and move on.
Q: What is your opinion on the dominance of the Indian team, and what is your message to the fans?
SKY: Being unbeaten throughout the tournament is a great feeling. Everyone back home will be very happy. Every player put their positive step forward. I'd also like to thank the BCCI for providing a strong base, including the work done at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. Every player had a good preparation before coming here. The way they delivered on the ground shows the value of this system. "In the end you didn't ask but as a gesture I want to personally give my match fees from all the games I played in this tournament to the Indian Army. Thank you, Indian Army."
Suryakumar Yadav and star opener Abhishek Sharma after India's victory in the Asia Cup 2025 final:
Q: Captain, seven good matches led to a fantastic end, but a team that wins doesn't get the trophy it deserves. What was the feeling for you as a captain?
Suryakumar Yadav (SKY): I've never seen a champion team denied a trophy since I started playing or following cricket. It was a hard-earned tournament. We deserved it. I can't say anything more. I've summed it up well. My real trophies are my 14 teammates and the support staff in the dressing room. Those are the lovely memories I'll take back.
Q: India won after defeating Pakistan three times in a row, but did not get the trophy. How important is this win despite not getting the trophy?
SKY: The win is important. After the match, the big screen flashed "India Asia Cup 2025 Champions." Every board had 'Champion' written on it. That's what you play for. It was a great moment, a great journey, and a great campaign for us as a team.
Q: India did not collect the trophy during the presentation ceremony. Why? Did the BCCI officially send an email to the ACC about not taking the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi (ACC Chairman and PCB Head)?
SKY: I don't know anything about any email. This was a call we took on the ground ourselves; no one told us to do it. We believe if you win a tournament, especially a hard-earned one like this, you deserve the trophy. We can't say we weren't disappointed, but as you saw, we had a lot of smiles on our faces and were enjoying the moment on the podium.
Q: A journalist suggested that the 'sport has lost' because, despite India winning, not getting the trophy is unprecedented and reflects irresponsible actions and political tensions.
SKY: I think you've said it all: "India has won." Let's look at the positive side: we were unbeaten in the tournament, and the boys stepped up whenever needed. Those are the small trophies we won, and that's important leading into the World Cup. I've never seen a champion team, after a hard-earned tournament, not get a trophy.
Team Performance and Abhishek Sharma
Q: What is the message you want to give to the Indian fans back home who are celebrating but are also confused about the trophy issue?
SKY: Have you not seen the trophy? I brought it, and Abhishek and Shubman have already posted photos with it! After such a good campaign and playing such good cricket, celebration is a must. If you came to our dressing room, you would see the atmosphere. We did what we wanted to do in all departments. The whole country is celebrating, and that's what matters—giving India a reason to celebrate!
Q: What was your experience playing in this tournament, especially with your back-to-back fifties, and how do you respond to the Prime Minister's tweet, which you can see in the video?
Abhishek Sharma: We had a plan to win this tournament, and we did win it, even if we didn't get the trophy in the end. We actually got a trophy (referring to a substitute one brought by SKY), we felt the weight, and we won—that's enough. We play to give the country a smile, and I'm sure the whole country is happy and smiling, which is what we play for.
Q: Abhishek, you've had a long journey (from U-19 World Cup), climbing the stairs to get here. This tournament has made you a fear factor for the opponents. How does it feel?
Abhishek Sharma (Player of the Tournament): I felt that climbing the stairs was necessary. If I had come straight into the team, I wouldn't have learned all the things I did. I got more time to work on my game than many other players, which was a good thing. I've worked hard on how to play in the T20 format and how to fit into the team. This is just the beginning for our team; more miracles will happen in the future.
Q: What are your thoughts on players like Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, and Kuldeep Yadav, who haven't been talked about much in this press conference?
SKY: I don't want to single out any one player because it's a team sport. From the first game to the final, there have been many moments where players stepped up with small, crucial contributions. Tilak's unbelievable knock in the final, Kuldeep and Varun's bowling comeback, and Sanju absorbing pressure. We've climbed slowly, one step at a time, and a collective effort has given India a reason to celebrate.
Q: Captain, you said there's still scope for improvement. Your personal form, perhaps not getting the desired starts, must be a bit bittersweet?
SKY: I didn't even get a start, so the question of converting doesn't arise! I believe in focusing on my preparations and what I do in the nets. The match is on autopilot. I feel I'm not out of form; I'm just out of runs, and those will come if I keep practicing. God is watching, and if you keep working hard, you'll get everything at the right time.
Other Team Matters
Q: At what point did you know Hardik Pandya would be unavailable for the final? Also, talk us through Shivam Dube's performance.
SKY: Hardik was very dejected when he found out he wouldn't play in the final, which was yesterday. He and the sports science team tried their best, but sometimes it's beyond all that. Shivam Dube had a difficult role, but he's been practicing bowling the new ball and in the death overs. He took up the responsibility. I was confident because I've seen him deliver with the ball in domestic cricket (Mumbai). He absorbed the pressure and delivered perfectly with both bat and ball in a high-pressure situation.
Q: After the match, what was the chain of events?
SKY: Rinku Singh hit a boundary, India won the Asia Cup. After that, we came out and celebrated. We cheered for every player's achievement—Tilak and Kuldeep got cars, and we celebrated that, too. We saw the champion board appear and then go away; that's just a part of life. We take it in our stride and move on.
Q: What is your opinion on the dominance of the Indian team, and what is your message to the fans?
SKY: Being unbeaten throughout the tournament is a great feeling. Everyone back home will be very happy. Every player put their positive step forward. I'd also like to thank the BCCI for providing a strong base, including the work done at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. Every player had a good preparation before coming here. The way they delivered on the ground shows the value of this system. "In the end you didn't ask but as a gesture I want to personally give my match fees from all the games I played in this tournament to the Indian Army. Thank you, Indian Army."
