Suryakumar on T20I Captaincy, Calls Rohit ‘Engine’: Suryakumar Yadav, the captain of the India T20I team, has finally spoken out on the BCCI’s choice to select him over Hardik Pandya as captain. India’s T20I captain stated that there won’t be any changes between him and Hardik on the eve of the first Twenty20 International against Sri Lanka, which will mark the start of a new era in Indian cricket under new coach Gautam Gambhir and Surya.
After India won the T20 World Cup in the Americas, Rohit Sharma decided to retire, and Hardik was the favourite to take over as captain. Prior to leading the Indian T20I team for almost a year in Rohit’s absence, Hardik served as vice captain for the country during the T20 World Cup.
However, Surya was seen a better option than Hardik by Ajit Agarkar, the selection committee, and new coach Gambhir since Surya was more likely to avoid injuries and be available for the majority of games.
Since Hardik is still a vital member of the team, Surya anticipated he would continue to play well in the T20 World Cup into the Sri Lanka series.
“Hardik has always played the same part. He is a crucial member of the team. I hope he keeps playing the way he did throughout the World Cup, Surya told reporters on Friday.
Surya will lead a team that includes Hardik for the first time on Saturday. For the Mumbai Indians in the IPL and in international cricket, the opposite has frequently occurred.
Throughout India’s three practise sessions in Pallekele thus far, Hardik and Surya have been in excellent spirits.
“The bogies are the same, the engines have changed,” said Surya, taking Rohit’s place.
Regarding Rohit’s potential replacement as captain, Surya stated that the Indian team’s offensive strategy would remain unchanged.
On the eve of the first of three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) against Sri Lanka here, Suryakumar declared, “The same train will go ahead; only the engine has changed and the bogies remain unchanged.” “Not much has changed; cricket is still the same brand. Not much changes in relation to the captaincy job. I now have more responsibilities as a result of it. I can now “walk the talk,” which is a wonderful thing,” he continued.
Suryakumar stated that he wished to follow the example set by Rohit when he was captain. He remarked, “What I’ve learnt from Rohit is that he was a leader both on and off the pitch.” “He was far more than merely a captain; there are significant distinctions between the two. He was a group leader who positioned himself in the centre and provided direction. How do you win a competition and play T20 cricket? That’s what I’ve discovered from him,” he continued.
Rohit has been Surya’s coach for a very long time. When he relocated to MI before to IP 2018, his career began to take a positive turn.
“I had the opportunity to learn a great deal from the various captains I played under, and Rohit Sharma is one of them; we have been teammates for the past six years. We’ll move the ship ahead in my own way, and I’ve learnt a lot from him,” he remarked.
In the series against Sri Lanka, Suryakumar believed that younger players like Rinku Singh and Riyan Parag would perform well.
As three players have retired, it will be challenging to replace their roles. However, it’s clear that the new guys have played and practiced a lot,” he remarked. “They have already performed admirably in their franchise cricket matches and have also performed admirably in their India matches. I am really confident that they will succeed.”
Ten years after he resigned as Mumbai captain due to his on-field abuse of his teammates, Suryakumar declared that he was a “changed man.” “In my opinion, it is a total switch. Saying 2014 means that it has been nearly ten years. Many things are going to change in ten years. You completely transform into someone else. You pick up a lot of knowledge. He remarked, “I have also fully transformed as a man. 2016 saw my marriage. Therefore, you must unquestionably modify after that as well. But yes, things have changed drastically since then,” he continued.
Gautam Gambhir, the new head coach of India, reportedly regretted not realising Suryakumar’s potential when the two played together for the Kolkata Knight Riders, but he also stated that there was enough to turn things around. “Together, we can realise that potential right now,” he grinned. “Our relationship has always been unique. We’ve spoken extensively. Based only on our body language, we each know what the other is trying to express.
Sometimes we may comprehend what each other is trying to communicate even when we don’t say anything. I can’t wait to go on this adventure. “Let us observe the outcome,” he uttered.
