Australia’s Marcus Stoinis names legendary Indian player as his ultimate career mentor

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In a surprising reveal that has touched fans across both nations, Marcus Stoinis, who is currently representing Australia in the T20 World Cup 2026, recently named a legendary Indian player as his ultimate career mentor. Despite the fierce rivalry on the field, Stoinis admitted that his growth as a finisher was deeply influenced by the guidance of this former World Cup winner.

As per ANI, Stoinis opened up about the profound impact Yuvraj Singh has had on his career, elevating him from a mere teammate to a true life mentor.

Recalling their days playing together in the IPL, Stoinis praised the Indian star’s unique approach to the game, stating, “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 was particularly in awe of Yuvraj’s effortless power, describing it as a ‘relaxed, rhythmical power’ that stood out from the brute force typical of modern hitters. He further emphasized Yuvraj’s character, noting, “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.”

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While Stoinis finds solace in his off-field connections, his on-field experience in the T20 World Cup 2026 has been nothing short of a nightmare. Australia have been shockingly eliminated from the group stages, failing to make the Super 8s for the first time in nearly two decades. Despite Stoinis’ individual efforts, including a valiant attempt to anchor the middle order, the ‘Mighty Aussies’ looked like a shadow of their former selves.

Their campaign unraveled after a stunning defeat to Zimbabwe, where the Australian batting lineup collapsed for just 146 runs, followed by a clinical eight-wicket thrashing at the hands of Sri Lanka. The final nail in the coffin was the rain-induced washout between Ireland and Zimbabwe on February 17, which mathematically ended Australia’s journey. Stoinis and his team are now left to play a meaningless final match against Oman at Pallekele, marking a historic low for Australian cricket in a tournament where they were once favourites.

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