“Everything about MCG is special” – Suryakumar Yadav on his favourite Aussie venue
Indian T20I star Suryakumar Yadav named the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as his favourite Australian stadium, recalling Virat Kohli’s iconic 2022 T20 World Cup innings and expressing excitement to play there again during India’s 2025 tour.
Suryakumar Yadav, a standout performer for India in T20I cricket, has revealed that the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is his number one cricket stadium in Australia, describing it as one of the most historic grounds in world cricket. During a recent interaction on YouTube, Yadav spoke fondly about the memories that he associates with the ground and talked about how looking forward to playing in the venue in the white-ball series against Australia early next year.
“It's definitely an MCG, Melbourne, definitely one of the iconic stadiums," Yadav said. "I had an opportunity in 2022, Virat Bhai (Kohli) played the innings of a lifetime. I am really excited to play there I will go for a T20I."
The Mumbai batter was referring to the now-famous India vs Pakistan clash during the 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, when Virat Kohli scored a magical 82 off 53 balls* to lead India to a thrilling four-wicket victory with 90,293 fans in attendance, the largest-ever crowd for a T20I match between the two nations. Yadav scored a brisk 15 in that match before being dismissed by Haris Rauf, and asserted that night will always remain one of the best cricketing experiences he has ever had.
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The MCG: A Historic Ground Where Legends of Cricket Are Made
The MCG, or the Melbourne Cricket Ground, was established in 1853. It is Australia’s largest stadium with a crowd capacity of over 100,000. The MCG has witnessed some of the greatest historical moments of the game of cricket including the World Cup Final in 1992, the Centenary Test in 1977 and the World Cup final in 2015 when there was an official attendance of 93,013. But Yadav said the MCG is more special than just historical significance or the attendance total stating that "the atmosphere, the crowd, the history, everything about the MCG is special.”
Yadav’s tour with India to Australia in 2025 includes a T20I match at the MCG on November 9 in case Yadav had a chance to impress the crowd in the grand old arena once again. With his fearless stroke making and 360-degree batting approach, he will welcome another opportunity to present his T20I form at a venue that favors aggressive cricket.
The MCG is also a cultural landmark with major events including the AFL Grand Final and the MCG will feature in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics when that happens. As Suryakumar prepares to pursue future plans to return, the MCG remains a cultural icon that seems to offer hope of creating some cricketing magic.
