Suryakumar Yadav : “I’m going to play the way I’ve been playing so far; nothing will change,” says India’s new T20I skipper.
According to the cliché, a new leader enters an organization, shakes things up in order to imprint their individuality on the outfit, instills new ideas, and places himself at the center of everything. It happens frequently in television sitcoms. Perhaps more so in real life.
Suryakumar Yadav, if we accept what he says, may not be the type of leader we seek. Ahead of his maiden match as permanent captain (he has previously led India in seven interim matches), he promised to be a firm hand on the rudder. Why should he be anything else? India no longer has Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli to depend on in T20Is, but the majority of their World Cup-winning squad remains intact, even if not all of its stars are included in this series. Why strive to mend something that isn’t broken?
“The same train will continue,” Suryakumar added. “Only the engine changed. “The bogies (carriages) are identical.”
If this sounds upbeat, that’s because India’s new captain has reason to be. His opponent, Charith Asalanka, inherits a squad that is failing to qualify for key international events.
India, however, not only has a World Cup-winning squad but also an IPL-winning coach in Gautam Gambhir. He and Suryakumar formerly worked together at the Kolkata Knight Riders. Suryakumar characterized their relationship in glowing terms.
“It’s been ten years since we’ve worked together, despite the fact that I switched franchises in 2018 and he did the same. We used to remain in touch and speak about the game even though we were on separate teams. There have been lessons learned over the previous six years, even while I was not with him.
“Our relationship is extraordinary; we’ve talked about the forthcoming three T20s in some depth, but we know each other rather well and can read each other’s body language. He knows some things, even when I don’t state them in words. Captains and coaches have a particular relationship. “I’m very excited about this journey.”
Gambhir isn’t the only one who’s invested in Suryakumar’s path. Rohit has been his captain for both the India team and previous IPL seasons. Rohit has taught him a lot, Suryakumar stated.
“What I’ve learned from Rohit is that he is a leader on and off the field, not only as a captain; there is a significant difference between the two. A captain walks alongside his teammates and coaches them on how to play T20s and win games, and that’s what I’ve learned from him.”
Suryakumar believes that the captaincy would not be an obstacle to his explosive batting style.
“I doubt my hitting style will alter. There will be pressure, but pressure is unavoidable; otherwise, there is no point in playing. I’m going to continue playing the way I have so far. Nothing will change. It’s really better for me because I can freely tell the squad what kind of cricket we’ll be playing in T20s in the future. I’ll enjoy it better and can possibly transfer the strain on to others (laughs) while still enjoying my game.”
