Suryakumar Yadav’s Hilarious Leave to Josh Hazlewood’s Short Ball Goes Viral – Team India’s stand-in skipper Suryakumar Yadav turned heads during the first T20I against Australia at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Wednesday, October 29. The right-hander pulled off a surprising “leave” to a short delivery from Josh Hazlewood, and the clip quickly went viral on social media.
Australia captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and chose to bowl first. The hosts had to make a change, with Matthew Short ruled out of the series and Josh Philippe coming in as a specialist batter. For India, young pacer Harshit Rana got his chance in the playing XI, while left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh was rested.
Suryakumar’s Funny Reaction to Hazlewood’s Short Ball
Suryakumar Yadav walked in after India lost opener Abhishek Sharma early. Sharma made a quick 19 off 14 balls with four boundaries before Nathan Ellis got him out, giving Australia their first breakthrough.
In the fifth over, Josh Hazlewood bowled a short-pitched delivery that angled slightly in toward the off-stump. SKY, caught off guard, bent his knees to leave the ball – almost like he was practicing yoga at the crease. The commentators couldn’t help but laugh at the sight.
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“(After SKY leaves the ball) Looks like he didn’t mean that. He just stuck at the crease,” one commentator said.
“Yeah, because, uh, you’re right. Hazlewood looked back at the bowling mark there. Either way, it looked like a good delivery. Got onto him quickly,” another commentator added.
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1st ball- Dot
2nd ball- Beaten and Dot
3rd ball- SixTypically Surya Kumar Yadav showing his 360 degree play.pic.twitter.com/KPRuITNHw0
— 93 (@93Yorker) October 29, 2025
Rain Interrupts the First T20I in Canberra
The match was affected by rain, forcing officials to revise the game to 18 overs per side. Under the new conditions, the PowerPlay was shortened to 5.2 overs. Three bowlers were allowed to deliver four overs each, while the remaining two could bowl a maximum of three.
India looked in great touch despite the interruptions, reaching 97 for 1 in just 9.4 overs before rain returned. Shubman Gill was unbeaten on 37 from 20 balls, hitting four boundaries and a six. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav was also going strong with 39 off 24 balls, including three fours and two sixes, before the weather halted play once again.
SKY’s Form Under the Spotlight
While Suryakumar Yadav has been leading confidently, his recent batting form has been a talking point. Despite captaining India to victory in the Asia Cup 2025, he struggled with the bat during the tournament, managing only 72 runs in six innings at an average of 18 and a strike rate just above 100.
However, he’s known to enjoy playing in Australia. Before this series, SKY had scored 239 runs in six T20Is down under, averaging nearly 60 with a strike rate close to 190, including three half-centuries.
Overall, Suryakumar Yadav has 2,670 runs from 90 T20I matches, averaging 37.08 with a blazing strike rate of 164.20. His tally includes four centuries and 21 fifties, making him one of the few players in the world to have scored four or more T20I hundreds.
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Suryakumar Yadav’s blend of fearless stroke play and lighthearted moments, like his stunning leave, continues to make him one of cricket’s most entertaining figures.
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