Suryakumar Yadav said he is not overly concerned about his chances of rejoining the Indian Test squad, noting that if it’s meant to happen, it will
Our Bureau
Durban
India skipper Suryakumar Yadav claimed that his style of captaincy is completely different from the way he bats as he tries to give his players more “freedom and clarity.”
Suryakumar is well-known for bringing out his aggression while heavily relying on his dynamism and unorthodox strokeplay. His ability to put runs on the board swiftly is one of the prime traits that makes him a modern-day T20I great. On the other hand, when it comes to his captaincy, Suryakumar appears to be a calm and collected figure. Even in the direst of situations, the 34-year-old keeps his calm and disseminates it to the entire team.
It is still his early days in the new role after replacing Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar outlined the thought process behind his captaincy whenever he stepped up to lead the side. He wants to give everyone the necessary comfort, which allows his players to express themselves.
“You have to understand what’s happening around, what’s going on in their [the players’] minds, and it is very important to give them that comfort. Everyone has a different skill set, and they also want to come out and express themselves. So that freedom is very important when they get onto the field, and that is what I try and give,” Suryakumar said in the pre-match press conference ahead of opening T20I against South Africa.
“Whatever is running in their mind, I listen to them carefully. Off the field, I try and spend a lot of time with them to understand their strengths, who can deliver for me in a pressure and current situation, and that’s how I am on the field,” he added.
Ahead of the first T20I against South Africa in Durban, Indian T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav said he is not overly concerned about his chances of rejoining the Indian Test squad, noting that if it’s meant to happen, it will.
The young Indian side aims to continue their T20I dominance as they kick off their South African tour, which comprises four T20Is, starting with the opening match in Durban on Friday. His comments follow India’s 0-3 Test series whitewash at home to New Zealand, marking their first home series loss in 12 years and their first-ever whitewash.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Suryakumar remarked, “When the time comes, I will make a Test comeback. I am playing in all domestic tournaments, be it red-ball or white-ball. I don’t miss any games. If a Test comeback is meant to happen, it will.”
Although a regular in India’s white-ball setup, Suryakumar has played only one Test match – against Australia in 2023, scoring eight runs in his sole innings. In the same year, he was named as a reserve player in the ICC World Test Championship Final squad.
The success Suryakumar has enjoyed with his captaincy is reflected in his numbers. Under his leadership, India have won 11 out of 13 matches which include a series sweep over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
With India set to play four T20Is against South Africa, Suryakumar intends to give that freedom and clarity to his players as they strive for success.
“See this format is such that if you keep playing, you keep learning and it’s so fast on the field. By the time you blink your eye, the game is over. So that freedom and clarity is very important when you play this format on the field,” he noted.
Suryakumar Yadav expressed faith in abilities of opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is missing from the series squad, and said that his time will come soon.
The young Indian side aims to extend their T20I dominance as they kick off their South African tour, which features four T20Is, with the first match in Durban on Friday. Yadav’s remarks come after India’s 0-3 Test series loss to New Zealand at home, their first loss at home in a Test series in 12 years and first-ever whitewash in a Test series of three-match or more.
The second T20I will take place at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on November 10, followed by the third at SuperSport Park in Centurion on November 13. The series will conclude with the fourth T20I at Wanderers Stadium on November 15.
India’s T20I Squad: Suryakumar Yadav, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ramandeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Avesh Khan, Yash Dayal.
