Suryakumar Yadav Praises Australia After India’s Defeat at MCG: “Credit to Their Bowlers, Especially Hazlewood”

India’s T20I winning streak under captain Suryakumar Yadav came to an abrupt halt as the team suffered a 4-wicket defeat against Australia in the second T20I at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday, October 31, 2025.

After being sent in to bat first by Mitchell Marsh, India managed only 125 runs, struggling against a relentless Australian bowling attack led by Josh Hazlewood, who dismantled India’s top order in the Power Play.

Suryakumar Yadav’s Reaction

Speaking at the post-match presentation with Adam Gilchrist, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav admitted that early wickets in the Power Play left India on the back foot and praised Australia’s disciplined bowling effort.

“The way he (Josh Hazlewood) bowled in the Power Play — if you’re four down that early, it’s very difficult to recover. Credit to Australia; they bowled really well,” said Suryakumar.

This was India’s first T20 defeat since the Asia Cup 2025 triumph under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir.

Praise for Abhishek Sharma

Despite the collapse, Abhishek Sharma stood tall, scoring a fighting 68 off 37 balls, ensuring India had something to defend. Yadav praised the young southpaw’s maturity and approach.

“He’s been doing this for quite some time now. He knows his game, knows his identity, and he’s not changing it anymore — that’s what gives him success. Hopefully, he sticks to it and plays many more knocks like this for us,” Surya added.

What’s Next

The loss marked India’s first setback in the T20 format in months, following their unbeaten Asia Cup run and dominant performance in the rain-hit opening T20I in Canberra.

The Men in Blue will now look to bounce back as they head to Hobart for the third T20I on Sunday, November 2, 2025, in the ongoing five-match series.

With the series finely poised, all eyes will be on India’s batting response and how the team adapts to Australia’s pace-heavy attack.