Published: Jan 20, 2026, 08:41 AM (IST)
Edited: Jan 20, 2026, 08:41 AM (IST)
India’s T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav, along with four other members of the Indian team, went on a jungle safari at the Pench Tiger Reserve on Monday, just days before the opening match of the five-match T20 series against New Zealand.
The first T20I of the series will be played in Nagpur on January 21.
Along with Suryakumar Yadav, wicketkeepers Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan, batter Rinku Singh, and spinner Ravi Bishnoi were part of the safari.
The visit was a private outing, and the reserve is located across Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, a Madhya Pradesh forest department official confirmed.
Pench Tiger Reserve Field Director J Deva Prasad said the players arrived in Seoni on Saturday night and stayed at a local resort.
After completing the jungle safari on Monday morning, the Indian players left for Nagpur around noon to prepare for the upcoming T20 series.
According to forest department officials, the cricketers spotted leopards and other wildlife during the safari, but did not see a tiger.
The players explored the reserve in open jeeps, interacted with fans, posed for photographs, and accepted greetings from visitors.
Wildlife photographer Rituraj Rahi Jaiswal said that when the players returned to Nagpur, he presented Suryakumar Yadav with an annual calendar featuring photographs of tigers, leopards, and other wildlife from the Pench reserve.
The Indian players who visited Pench later shared photos and videos from the jungle safari on their social media accounts, giving fans a glimpse of their off-field relaxation.
An official revealed that Suryakumar Yadav had earlier visited Pench Tiger Reserve on February 15, 2025.
Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar also visited the famous wildlife reserve with his family in 2023. Pench is known for its rich wildlife, including tigers, leopards, chital, and sloth bears.
The three-match ODI series against New Zealand concluded in Indore on Sunday, with India losing the series 2-1.
Attention has now shifted to the five-match T20 series, with the first match scheduled in Nagpur on Wednesday.
