Suryakumar Yadav‘s pre-match press conference before the India vs Australia 1st T20I in Visakhapatnam had a minimal attendance, with only two reporters present. The impact of World Cup fatigue extends beyond players and support staff to those covering and watching the tournament.
With a bilateral series scheduled just three days after the energy-sapping World Cup final, both players and fans face challenges, and it appears journalists are not exempt from the fatigue.
A mere two reporters attended the pre-match press conference for India’s opening T20I against Australia in Visakhapatnam. This represents an unusually low turnout for a men’s Indian cricket team match in recent memory.
Only two reporters attended Suryakumar Yadav’s pre-match press conference for the India vs Australia T20Is
The scheduled press conference with Australia’s captain, Matthew Wade, on Wednesday afternoon did not seem to take place. However, it was not confirmed whether the absence of journalists was the reason.
Suryakumar Yadav, India’s T20I captain, expressed surprise with a smile at the small turnout of only two journalists during the press conference. It’s uncommon for Indian cricketers to have such brief interactions, as they’re accustomed to lengthier sessions with more reporters.
The BCCI media manager often has to manage rotations for equal opportunities, but this time, the low attendance made it a unique experience for the captain. Suryakumar Yadav answered questions from two reporters, probably from PTI and ANI, and it seemed he was ready for more, but the reporters ran out of queries. This is an unusual situation in recent times.
Throughout the World Cup, India’s press conferences routinely drew over 100 journalists, reaching over 200 in significant matches like the semi-final and final. The number of applicants was even higher.
This is typical for ICC events where reporters from various regions travel to venues to cover their respective teams. However, even bilateral series in India receive substantial media attention.
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