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Suryakumar Yadav's 8-Year-Old 'Naughty Avatar' In KKR Challenge Still Brings Giggles

Soumyajit Dutta

Suryakumar Yadav in the KKR challenge video [Source: @KolkataKnightRiders/YT.com]Suryakumar Yadav in the KKR challenge video [Source: @KolkataKnightRiders/YT.com]

Before Suryakumar Yadav became the world’s No. 1 T20 batter, before he stunned global crowds with reverse scoops and 360-degree strokeplay, he was just a 25-year-old trying to have fun with his teammates. The year was 2016. The team was the Kolkata Knight Riders. The vibe was mischief. And in the middle of it all, a young Surya walked into a team challenge with a cheeky smile and unmatched confidence.

For an exclusive video for KKR named “Handle With Care”, Suryakumar Yadav and Manish Pandey faced each other for 'KKR Ka Boss Kaun'. The video featured a light-hearted contest where players had to bounce a cricket ball on their bat handle. Ahead of the contest, the host explained the rules for the game, which left the room in splits.

Yadav Cracks Hilarious Joke During The Challenge

While explaining the rule of the contest, the host said, "You have to juggle the ball on the handle of your bat. Sath mei juggle karna hai, jiska bhi gir gaya pehle, he loses (Both need to juggle together, whoever's ball falls first will lose the game)" This cracked up Suryakumar Yadav and Manish Pandey as they referred to an internal joke as Suryakumar replied to Manish, "Tera girega pehle (Yours will fall first)."

Nevertheless, the contest played out like a mini-drama. In Round 1, Surya’s wrists danced. Pandey stumbled. SKY smirked and celebrated. Round 2 saw a comeback. Pandey held firm. SKY, suddenly focused, tried to up the ante. But the ball slipped, and Manish Pandey prevailed as the winner.

Pandey Grabs The Win As SKY Does Hilarious Celebration

After the first two rounds, then came The Decider. As tension thickened, Surya bounced, controlled, teased; but the ball fell. Pandey edged it. Yet, SKY clapped, laughed, and celebrated Pandey’s win. Taking it to one level up, SKY tightly hugged Pandey in a mischievous manner as Pandey struggled to let go of him.

Today, fans still laugh when they come across this video. Not because of the challenge itself, but because it captured the essence of who he was, even back then. Years later, Suryakumar has aged to a person who defines T20 cricket with much more grace and charm. Surya's naughty avatar is rare these days, however, his earlier day antics still lighten up his fans.