Former Mumbai teammate makes stunning revelation about Suryakumar Yadav

Even though the Asia Cup 2025 concluded over two weeks ago, the tournament continues to dominate discussions and not just for cricketing reasons. Apart from Abhishek Sharma’s breakout performances and India’s record ninth title win, the event drew attention for the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, culminating in the infamous trophy incident involving ACC and PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi.

The controversy began when Indian players refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts after the league-stage match. Interestingly, this wasn’t the atmosphere at the start of the tournament — all eight captains had exchanged greetings during the pre-tournament press conference. However, after the toss dispute and India’s victory over Pakistan, the Indian squad reportedly avoided any post-match interactions, choosing instead to stay inside their dressing room.

Throughout the chaos, India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav maintained remarkable composure. Yet, according to his Mumbai teammate Shashank Singh, things could have been drastically different a decade ago.

“Surya isn’t short-tempered anymore, but years ago, he was. He’s become much calmer now. I watched the press conference where a Pakistani journalist questioned him, and he smiled while replying. I told him, ‘Agar yeh 10 saal pehle wala Surya hota, toh uske baad kya kya cheezein hoti, mujhe maloom hai’ — if it were the Suryakumar from 10 years ago, I know what might have happened. He used to lose his temper very quickly,” Shashank revealed in a recent interaction.

The press conference in question followed India’s seven-wicket win over Pakistan. When asked about the ‘spirit of the game’, Suryakumar calmly replied, “Some things are beyond sportsman spirit,” alluding to the strained relations between the two nations after the Pahalgam terror attacks earlier this year. Though two scheduled India–Pakistan matches at the World Championship of Legends were cancelled, the Asia Cup went ahead after receiving government approval.

Also Read: How captain Suryakumar Yadav’s backing transformed Abhishek Sharma into Asia Cup 2025 star

This composed version of Suryakumar stands in stark contrast to the fiery image suggested by his past. Despite being denied the Asia Cup trophy on the night of the final, when Naqvi walked off with the silverware, the Indian captain kept his cool and avoided any confrontation.

“I’ve never seen anything like this in cricket — a champion team being denied their trophy. We worked hard for this win, playing back-to-back games and performing well throughout. I believe we earned it. I think I’ve said enough that sums it up,” Suryakumar said, addressing the incident with restraint and dignity.

In an era where tempers flare easily, Suryakumar Yadav’s maturity  and his ability to stay calm amid controversy stands as a mark of how far he has come, both as a cricketer and as a leader.