WATCH: Suryakumar Yadav's press conference surprise with only two journalists in attendance

The reality of World Cup fatigue extends not only to the players and support staff but also to those covering and watching the tournament. Following India's captivating run in the 2023 ODI World Cup, the focus in the cricketing world has shifted to the upcoming T20I series against Australia. Attending a bilateral series just three days after an energy-draining World Cup final was anticipated to be challenging for players and fans, and it appears that journalists are equally affected.

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The pre-match press conference for India's series-opening T20I against Australia in Visakhapatnam witnessed an unusual scene, with only two reporters in attendance. While official figures are unavailable, this marks an exceptionally low turnout for a men's Indian cricket team match at home in recent memory. In addition to this, a press conference with Matthew Wade, Australia's captain for this series, was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, but there are indications that it might not have occurred. Confirmation regarding whether the absence of the press conference was due to a shortage of journalists is yet to be provided.

"Only two people?" remarked Suryakumar Yadav, India's captain for the five-match T20I series, with a broad smile as he concluded the four-minute-long press conference on Wednesday. His laughter conveyed a sense of amazement. Indian cricketers are accustomed to lengthy press conferences with numerous questions—some discomforting and annoying. The ICB media manager often faces a dilemma, employing rotation to ensure equal opportunities for all covering journalists during a home series. However, on Wednesday, this was not the case.

Watch the video here;

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🗣️ My message to the players is very clear - just be fearless and do whatever it takes to help the team 👌👌#TeamIndia Captain @surya_14kumar ahead of the 1st T20I against Australia.@IDFCFIRSTBank | #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/jmjqqdcZBi

— BCCI (@BCCI) November 22, 2023

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Suryakumar recognized the challenge of overcoming India's loss in the World Cup

In an unprecedented turn of events, only two reporters, likely from news agencies PTI and ANI, attended Suryakumar Yadav's press conference ahead of the IND vs AUS T20I series. During the World Cup, press conferences routinely drew over 100 journalists, sometimes exceeding 200 for significant matches. The brief three-day gap between the World Cup final and the T20I series has seemingly hindered momentum. Suryakumar acknowledged the difficulty in moving on from India's World Cup loss, emphasizing the need for time. Despite India's near-perfect World Cup campaign, the disappointment lingers as they prepare for the T20 series without Hardik Pandya.

"But as you get up in the morning the sun rises again, there is light at the end of the tunnel. You have to move on. It is a fresh team (T20 squad), really looking forward to the challenge. We played a positive brand of cricket throughout the tournament. We can be very proud of that. Obviously, a little disappointing but when you look back at the journey it was a great campaign. All of India and our families were proud of the way everyone displayed their talent on the ground,” Surya mentioned that the support from fans and families is aiding him and the other players in overcoming the disappointment.