“I don’t think defame karne wala aisi koi bhi baat thi”

Bollywood actress Khushi Mukherjee hit back at star batter Suryakumar Yadav ahead of the T20I series between India and New Zealand. The five-match series will begin on Wednesday, January 21.

Khushi Mukherjee got into a controversy after her comments on Suryakumar Yadav, where she recently stated that the batter used to message her a lot in the past. The controversy grew further as the Bollywood actress was reportedly slapped with a ₹100 crore defamation case by Mumbai-based social media influencer Faizan Ansari.

However, the actress has now hit back, stating that she has not received any such defamation notice from Suryakumar Yadav or his legal team.

“Nahi, bilkul nahi. Mere muh se baat nilka gayi ke haa baat hoti thi. Shayad nahi nikalna chahiye tha. Par usme I don’t think defame karne wala aisa koi bhi baat thi. Rahi baat baki aise kuch sasthe se influencers hai, bonfire mai haath sekne aa gaye aur bhokne lag gaye. Let them bark. Baaki aise koi legal notice toh aaya nahi. Baat hoti thi, theek hai, sach hai. I haven’t received any defamation, and I don’t think in any way I have defamed him,” she said. (via Instantbollywood).

(No, not at all. It came out of my mouth that we used to talk. Maybe it should not have. But I don’t think there was anything defamatory about it. About such cheap influencers, they come to warm their hands in the bonfire and start barking. Let them bark. But I have not received any such legal notice. It is true that we used to talk.)

The star batter will be seen leading India in the upcoming T20I series and the T20 World Cup 2026.

Suryakumar Yadav short on runs ahead of T20I series and T20 World Cup

Suryakumar Yadav has been short of runs and has struggled to find his rhythm heading into the New Zealand T20Is and the T20 World Cup 2026. He had a rough 2025 with the bat, failing to make a significant impact.

In 19 T20I innings in 2025, he scored just 218 runs at an average of 13.62 and a strike rate of 123.16 without a single half-century. The previous series against South Africa saw him score just 34 runs from four matches at an average of 8.50 and a strike rate of 103.03.

India are the defending champions heading into the T20 World Cup 2026. As they aim to retain the title, they will need their skipper to be back among the runs and find his form.