By Vijay Joshi
New Delhi, March 16
India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav believes the country’s talent pool in the shortest format has grown so vast that India could comfortably field two or even three international-quality teams simultaneously, highlighting the depth created by a strong domestic structure and franchise ecosystem.
The flamboyant batter, who has overseen a period of remarkable consistency since taking over the leadership after the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, credited the steady pipeline of players emerging from domestic competitions and the Indian Premier League for strengthening India’s dominance in T20 cricket.
Since Suryakumar assumed the captaincy in 2024 — after Rohit Sharma stepped down following the World Cup victory in Barbados — India has won 42 of its 52 matches in the format, reflecting the team’s dominance in a notoriously unpredictable game.
In a podcast interview with PTI Videos on Sunday, Suryakumar described the current side as “the best T20 team India has produced” and said the country’s depth in T20 cricket is now too obvious to ignore.
“If you talk about talent, you can find it regularly. There is IPL cricket, franchise cricket, and domestic cricket. Every year so many players emerge. In T20s, you can make as many teams as you want,” Suryakumar said.
“I feel talent is unlimited. You could easily make two or three playing XIs. Our base is extremely strong. This is not a diplomatic answer — it is simply the truth.”
Team effort behind 80 per cent win rate
Suryakumar credited the team’s success to a collective approach in the dressing room, saying a shared vision among players and support staff helped produce an impressive 80 per cent win rate in the format.
Despite the strong record, he acknowledged that global tournaments can present a different challenge.
“We may dominate bilateral series, but in ICC tournaments things can be different. That is why we had to stay motivated and maintain the winning momentum,” he said.
“I don’t pay too much attention to statistics, but I hate losing. If everyone in the dressing room moves in the same direction, only then can you achieve such a percentage.”
India’s consistency in T20Is over the past 18 months has been widely attributed to the stable leadership group led by Suryakumar and head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Batting: a mix of instinct and reaction
Known for his 360-degree strokeplay, Suryakumar described T20 batting as largely reactive.
“I feel batting is about 70–75 per cent reaction. The remaining 25 per cent is instinct — what you decide to do at that moment. Once you enter the ground, you are almost on autopilot. You try to bat with rhythm and according to the situation,” he said.
He also traced the roots of his unconventional shot-making to childhood rubber-ball cricket in Mumbai, where uneven boundary sizes forced him to improvise constantly.
Thin line between courage and recklessness
While his audacious strokeplay is often described as high risk, Suryakumar said he tries to stay on the right side of the fine line between courage and recklessness.
“There is a very thin line between being courageous and being reckless. I try to stay on the courageous side. But if the situation demands a high-risk shot, you have to take it. High rewards often require high-risk decisions,” he said.
Clear understanding with Gambhir
The captain also highlighted his strong working relationship with Gambhir, revealing that the two were largely in agreement while selecting the team after taking charge.
“Out of 15 names we suggested, 14 were common. That means our thinking was the same. When the goals are clear, there are no arguments — only discussions.”
Despite their professional success, Suryakumar said their personal dynamic remains unchanged.
“I still call him ‘Gauti bhai’. It’s like a younger brother–elder brother relationship,” he added.
PTI
