USA Cricketers Saurabh, Harmeet and Monak Discuss Bonds with Indian Stars Ahead of T20 World Cup Clash

By Swapneel Deshpande 12 Jun 2024, 11:32 IST

USA Cricketers Saurabh, Harmeet & Monak: Bonding with Indian Stars

India will face the USA in their third Group A match of the T20 World Cup at Nassau County International Stadium. India recently defeated Pakistan by six runs in a low-scoring match, while the USA also won against Pakistan in a Super Over. India leads the group with two wins and four points, with the USA in second place due to a lower net run rate.

Saurabh Netravalkar on Bond with Suryakumar Yadav

USA pacer Saurabh Netravalkar, who previously played for Mumbai and the Indian U19 team, shared his close friendship with India’s top T20I batter, Suryakumar Yadav. Reflecting on their time together from U15 cricket, he expressed admiration for Suryakumar’s early talent and success. Netravalkar is excited to play against Suryakumar and other familiar faces from his cricketing journey.

“Suryakumar has been a close friend, actually. I have seen him since our under-15 days; we kind of grew up playing for Mumbai together. He was always special, scoring double hundreds and stuff in under-15 and under-17 matches. So, he had that flair about him, and we knew he would go on to do something special.”

“He got a chance to play for India later than I expected, but I am really happy for him. I am excited to meet him, and it is an opportunity to play not just against him but also against a lot of the guys we played with. I do not know how to get Surya out, but I think I will just try to do my role, what the team needs me to do, and we will see how it goes,” he added.

Harmeet Singh on Admiring Rohit Sharma

USA all-rounder Harmeet Singh, who also played in the U19 World Cup for India, spoke about his admiration for Indian captain Rohit Sharma. Having attended the same school and made his first-class debut alongside Rohit, Harmeet highlighted Rohit’s role in inspiring cricketers from Mumbai’s suburbs.

“Growing up, I used to look up to Rohit Sharma. Rohit comes from my school, and he had just graduated when I entered. I made my first-class debut with him, and he played in the under-19 World Cup a few tournaments before me. It was really exciting to see someone from the suburbs of Mumbai going out there and conquering the world. In Bombay, it was all about the beyond Bandra schools and cricketers, but Rohit started that in the suburbs, and from there we all followed. Some other guys I have played under-19 India with are Sanju , Kuldeep , and Axar . It will be fun catching up and playing against them as well.”

Monank Patel on Connection with Axar Patel

USA captain Monank Patel shared his connection with Indian all-rounder Axar Patel, mentioning their shared hometown and early cricket experiences. He praised Axar for motivating young cricketers from their town.

“I have played with Axar and Bumrah in under-19 and under-15 matches. Axar comes from the same town where I am from. It is a small town, and he has obviously motivated and encouraged a lot of youngsters from there. I am happy to see them growing and playing good cricket

Corey Anderson on Facing Jasprit Bumrah

USA all-rounder Corey Anderson, formerly of New Zealand, expressed his excitement about facing Jasprit Bumrah. He recalled Bumrah’s early days at Mumbai Indians and his impressive development into one of the world’s best bowlers.

“I have got a bit of a soft spot for Bumrah. I think I was at Mumbai when he was first introduced to MI, and watching him develop from this raw natural talent to one of the best bowlers in the world has been amazing. It is cool to see that progress throughout because you see the things they talk about early in their careers, and how they gain experience. To watch him reach his potential is awesome. We are obviously going to come up against him, and he can do some serious damage. I think it is going to be extremely exciting to face him as well.”