Suryakumar has become the captain of the Indian T20I team because Hardik Pandya is injured. The cricketer from Mumbai said he is having a good time in this role.
Suryakumar Yadav will captain India In T20Is vs South Africa
South Africa will be a tough opponent for the young Indian team in the T20I series. However, Captain Suryakumar Yadav mentioned on Saturday that the idea of performing exceptionally well in unfamiliar conditions should motivate the players. The first T20I of the three-match series against South Africa will take place on Sunday. Suryakumar, speaking at his pre-match press conference, expressed excitement about the series, highlighting that doing well outside India’s comfort zone can make a significant impact and boost the team’s morale.
Suryakumar backed his fledgling squad to show character in the face of a daunting opposition.
“The players I’m observing in T20s right now are very open and fearless. I share that same attitude. They’re not scared of failing. Whether they perform well or don’t score runs on a particular day, their mindset stays consistent.”
“I believe maintaining a good balance is crucial, and I’ve advised them to simply enjoy this format and be true to themselves,” said Suryakumar.
He mentioned Rinku Singh and Jitesh Sharma as examples. They played a crucial part in the home series victory against Australia, emphasizing his point about the capabilities of young cricketers.
“Rinku and Jitesh have batted in the same position for India as they do for their state or IPL teams. I’ve encouraged them to continue doing what they’ve been successful within those teams. They demonstrated resilience in challenging situations, as seen in the series against Australia,” he pointed out.
The bounce and speed on South African pitches will be a challenge for this young group of cricketers. The captain mentioned that his players are well-prepared and capable of handling that test.
“I believe the key to success on such wickets is to stay true to yourself. We’ve played on fast tracks in India, and everyone is well-prepared for it.”
“As for the batsmen’s shots, they’ve already experienced playing on these types of wickets, and I’m confident they will relish playing in South Africa,” he said.
India will play only six more T20Is before the T20 World Cup 2024, but Suryakumar downplayed the significance of the small number.
“We have a limited number of T20s before the T20 World Cup. However, with 14 league games in the IPL, players have already played numerous matches and gained a lot of experience,” he explained.
“So, I don’t anticipate any problems in selecting the squad for the World Cup because everyone is well aware of their roles,” he explained.
“So, I don’t foresee any difficulties in choosing the squad for the World Cup because everyone understands their roles very well,” he clarified.
“From a personal perspective, captaincy is a significant responsibility. I thoroughly enjoyed it in the last series against Australia. I would love to achieve the same success in the upcoming series in South Africa.”
“Looking at the bigger picture, we’ll see what comes in the future, but for now, let’s concentrate on the series.” The 33-year-old acknowledged that the defeat in the one-day World Cup final against Australia was heartbreaking, but the series win against the same team, even in a different format, was a morale booster for them.
“The World Cup final defeat was a bit disappointing, and it will be tough to move on from that. But, as I always say, the show must go on. Fortunately, we had a good T20 series against Australia afterward, and we enjoyed it.”
“It was a different format. The series win was a significant boost for the boys,” he concluded.
