India’s dynamic white-ball batter Suryakumar Yadav, known for his inventive strokeplay, traded the cricket pitch for the pristine lawns of SW19 as he made his debut appearance at Wimbledon this week. While soaking in the grandeur of Centre Court, the 33-year-old was clear about one thing: if he ever played tennis doubles, his partner would be none other than MS Dhoni.“Definitely, MS Dhoni,” Surya said with a smile, when asked which cricketer he would pick for a hypothetical doubles pairing. “He’s got speed, a lot of endurance, and is mentally very tough. Plus, whenever he’s not playing cricket these days, I’ve seen him playing a lot of tennis.”Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!A self-confessed tennis fan, Suryakumar revealed that this was his first-ever visit to Wimbledon, an experience he had long waited for. “I’ve always heard about the atmosphere around Centre Court. I watch tennis quite a bit on television and I’m here to experience that surreal feeling in person,” he said.Suited immaculately — a choice aided by his wife, he admitted — Surya added that Novak Djokovic is his all-time favourite. “I even read his book ‘Serve to Win’ which really inspired me. I could relate to his journey and perseverance,” said SKY.As for his favourites at Wimbledon, he picked Carlos Alcaraz for his fearless flair, while calling Pete Sampras and Roger Federer his Wimbledon favourites from the past.Reflecting on the parallels between elite tennis and top-level cricket, Yadav highlighted two things: mental strength and endurance. “There are a lot of similarities. In cricket, we run 20-25 metres again and again. Tennis is similar in that way. You need strong mental resolve in both sports.”Suryakumar, not in the Indian Test team which is currently playing the third Test at Lord’s, will next be in action in September during the Asia Cup.
