Suryakumar Yadav got his maiden India call-up on Saturday when he was included in the squad for India’s upcoming T20I series against England. The batsman is on a high over being given a chance after being ignored for the Australia tour despite a stunning Indian Premier League 2020 performance.

Yadav made a major contribution to the Mumbai Indians’ victorious IPL 2020 campaign, scoring 480 runs in 16 matches. 

Talking to Sports today, the Maharashtra based player linked the call to his IPL franchise. He said, “I think their (Mumbai Indians) support has been immense. I still remember when I came back to MI from KKR in 2018… my role at KKR was completely different, I used to bat lower down the order and play the finisher’s role.”

He added, “But at MI, the plan was crystal clear, they wanted me to bat higher up the order, they gave me that responsibility, they gave me that challenge to go out and express fearlessly. I started batting at No. 4, I also got an opportunity to open.”

Yadav talked about his dream to play for the national team and said, “There were a few instances during the IPL where I used to dream about winning games for India and I think the opportunity for me has come at the right time. It’s on me how I take it and how I make full use of it.”

With India set to host the next T20I World Cup this year, this can be the perfect time for Yadav to prove his mettle and get a chance to represent the country in the world cup.