In an unexpected turn of events, Marcus Stoinis, currently playing for Australia in the T20 World Cup 2026, has revealed that a famous Indian player is his top career mentor. Despite the intense rivalry between the teams, Stoinis shared that his development as a finisher has been significantly shaped by this former World Cup champion.
Marcus Stoinis chooses Indian Cricket star as his key mentor
According to ANI, Stoinis talked about the major role Yuvraj Singh has played in his journey, moving from being just a teammate to a genuine mentor.
Looking back at their time in the IPL, Stoinis praised Yuvraj’s special way of approaching the game, saying, “I played with Yuvraj Singh in the IPL. Although I was playing with him, I describe him more as a mentor. I was quite young, and he was obviously very experienced.”
Stoinis admired Yuvraj’s effortless power, describing it as a ‘relaxed, rhythmical power’ that differs from the raw strength often seen in today’s players. He also highlighted Yuvraj’s helpful nature, stating, “Very nice guy, very helpful. I mean, to a young overseas player coming to the IPL, he was very good to me. Nothing but absolute respect.”
Stoinis and Australia’s tough T20 World Cup 2026 journey
While Stoinis has found comfort in his off-field relationships, his experience on the field during the T20 World Cup 2026 has been challenging. Australia faced an early exit from the group stages, missing the Super 8s for the first time in nearly twenty years. Even though Stoinis made commendable efforts to support the middle order, the team struggled significantly.
Their campaign fell apart after a surprising loss to Zimbabwe, where the Australian team collapsed for just 146 runs, and they subsequently suffered an eight-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka. The final blow came from a rain-affected match between Ireland and Zimbabwe on February 17, which ended Australia’s chances. Now, Stoinis and his team are left to play a final match against Oman at Pallekele, marking a disappointing chapter for Australian cricket in a tournament where they were once the favorites.
