Picture Credit : BCCI
After a commanding T20I series win over New Zealand by 4-1, India’s sights are now firmly set on repeating and defeating history at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026. Suryakumar Yadav reflected on the positive pressure of defending the title, refreshed batting approach, and a fearless team mindset.
Suryakumar Yadav spoke about repeating and defeating history in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026:
“Home games always bring pressure, but without it, there's no thrill in the sport. Chasing a historic back-to-back World Cup win on home soil, no team has done it before, feels like a rewarding responsibility and positive pressure. With massive crowd support across venues, I'm excited, and the team shares that enthusiasm.”
On his refreshed batting approach:
“After the South Africa series break, I returned home, stored my kit bag, and took a complete 9-10 day rest. As the new year began, I resumed practice, reflecting on the previous year's shortcomings—particularly my strike-rate in the initial overs. In 2021-23, I attacked from the first 5-10 balls at a strike-rate of 200-250; now, I settle in over the first 5-7 balls, doubling my strike-rate thereafter. This approach clicked from the very first game in Nagpur, building momentum that revived my form.”
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On India’s T20 World Cup blueprint:
“In high-risk T20s with explosive top-order batting, we need an extra specialist batter at No. 7 or 8. Our core bowlers—Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, and Axar Patel, can deliver full 16 overs, providing a massive edge. Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube (2-2 overs each), and occasionally Abhishek Sharma offer flexibility, making a seven-batter plus all-rounder setup with an eighth batter ideal for the World Cup squad.”
On Indian batsmen’s fearless approach:
“Each player brings their unique identity—Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson all bat true to their style from state and franchise levels. I've encouraged them to stick with it: hit a six on the first ball if it suits, making on-field decisions based on pitch conditions. Their fearless approach has simplified my captaincy.”
On the selection dilemma for the opening spot:
“Tilak Varma's status remains uncertain, I’ve got to know that he's batting well and looking sharp. His return would create a selection dilemma, as all 15 squad members are playing XI contenders. The final call on Ishan Kishan versus Sanju Samson for the opener role will be revealed on February 7th.”
