In T20Is, Suryakumar Yadav has been struggling at bat and hasn’t been able to score many big runs for a while. The Indian T20I captain, however, expressed his happiness at the team’s victory.
The Men in Blue have won every series in the shortest format since Suryakumar became skipper of the Indian T20 team in June 2024. In a recent five-match series, they defeated a formidable South African team 3-1. They will now play a five-match T20I series against New Zealand, with the opening match taking place in Nagpur on Wednesday, January 21.
In 2025, Suryakumar was only able to score 218 runs from 19 innings at a strike rate of 123.16 and an average of 13.62. In international cricket, he was unable to reach a half-century in the shortest format. The 35-year-old, however, is confident that runs will arrive sooner rather than later and stated that he will not alter his batting strategy in an attempt to improve his fortunes.
“Yes, I’ve been hitting really well, and there will undoubtedly be runs. I don’t want to do things any differently, though. At the pre-match press conference in Nagpur, Suryakumar Yadav stated, “I don’t want to change my identity—the things that have given me success over the past three or four years.”
“I’d like to bat similarly. I’ll accept a performance if it arises. If it doesn’t, I’ll start over, practise more, put in a lot of effort, and return stronger’, he continued.
Unlike table tennis or lawn tennis, which are solo sports, cricket is a team sport, according to Suryakumar. He claimed that he places a lot more value on the team’s performance than on his own accomplishments and potential milestones.
“I would think much more if this were an individual sport like lawn tennis or table tennis. It’s a team sport, though. The team’s performance is my first duty. I’m pleased if the team is performing well and winning. It would be fantastic if my performance matched that. “It’s okay if it doesn’t happen; sometimes it does,” he continued.
“I have to take care of the support personnel and the other 14 players at the same time. Since I was chosen as the leader, I am accountable to everyone. Personal accomplishments have no place in a team sport. Everyone must take the initiative, succeed, and be pleased for one another. That’s what I enjoy doing, and it’s the most crucial thing in a team setting,” he continued.
Batting is unaffected by captaincy: Suryakumar,
Suryakumar was questioned about if his batting performance has been impacted by the demands of captaincy. The Mumbai batsman denied the idea, claiming that he made a lot of runs in his first few games as captain. He showed that he might find form in the opening Twenty20 International against New Zealand.
“There will be pressure if you are in charge of such a large crew. No one performs without pressure. Yes, since I assumed captaincy, there has been a decline in form. However, if you look at it, I scored a hundred and a few fifties in my first 7-8 T20Is after being named captain. These things do occur. It is in my hands, so I will continue to work hard. I have the responsibility of effectively leading the team. I’ll do my best; if it works out, great. The form doesn’t stop till the World Cup is over, so who knows? I might be able to find the touch tomorrow,” Suryakumar continued.
India
