As the co-hosts of the T20 World Cup enter the ICC tournament as clear favorites, captain Suryakumar Yadav stated on Thursday that the key to India’s success in the shortest format is maintaining a same mindset throughout events.
Additionally, he gave Washington Sundar a fitness update and stated that the all-rounder will not be hurried to make a comeback.
In their tournament opener at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday, the reigning champions India will play the USA with an eye to win a historic third championship.
“We have been playing some good brand of cricket from last 2-3 years, but I think we have changed our thinking. Earlier, we used to play bilateral (series) differently than the ICC tournaments, but now, be it an ICC event or (the) Asia Cup or even a bilateral (match), we try to play in the same manner,” PTI quoted Suryakumar as saying during the Captains’ Press Conference when asked about India’s mentality.
Since winning the Asia Cup last year and the T20 World Cup in 2024, India has won every bilateral series.
“This is why, when we went to play the 2024 T20 World Cup, it did not feel any different and rather, it felt like we’ve been playing this way for an entire year. Even now, the kind of cricket we’ve been playing for the last year, we will try to play the same way (in T20 World Cup). And if we play well, the result will also be on our side,” Suryakumar added.
The squad hopes to give Washington enough time to make a “one hundred percent” comeback, according to the Indian captain.
“Tilak Varma got a break, he couldn’t play the New Zealand series and when he came back, he was a different player. He played an A-series game (warm-up match between India A and USA) and also yesterday (on Wednesday against South Africa). We are hoping Washington will also (go) the same (way). He is doing really well. He is almost there. We want him to be fully fit when he comes back… 100 per cent, we will be patient with him,” Suryakumar added.
Suryakumar cited Ishan Kishan, who got his first T20 century last week off a six against New Zealand, as an example of how India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir has “infused” the mindset of keeping the team first among the players.
“The dressing room is the same, only a few boxes (compartments of a train) have changed, but it has been a wonderful journey since he has taken over. The main thing is the atmosphere that he has created in the dressing room – that it’s a team game. He has infused that personal milestones should be kept aside and the team goals are more important,” Suryakumar said.
“For example, in the last match in Thiruvananthapuram, Ishan was in his 90s and he completed his hundred with a six. That is one thing he (Gambhir) is trying in the dressing room, keeping the personal milestones away and focusing on what’s the team’s goal and then the work towards it.”
“So everything (else) comes in that (and) there is no need to do anything else. (Also) the freedom which is given to everyone. The two batters in the middle have that freedom, the dressing room atmosphere is very light, (having) good team dinners and even going out for movies together, all these things small, small things helps a lot in a team atmosphere,” Suryakumar added.
According to Suryakumar, the game should eliminate the dew factor, which the great MS Dhoni pointed out as a challenge for the Indian squad in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
“We are batting well and we are chasing well. Whatever the situation is on the game-day, (may) be it in the semifinal or the final, we will take a decision. If we have to bat first, we will do that,” he said.
“Having runs on board is always better. Also, we have played a lot of matches where dew was a factor. (We have) so many players in the team who have been playing for so many years, both franchise and international cricket.
“We should rather take the dew factor out of the game now and we should focus on playing good cricket. The game has advanced, you prepare for the dew factor. It all boils down to how you prepare,” Suryakumar added.
