Indian national cricket team captain Suryakumar Yadav was in full form at a press conference ahead of the five-match T20I series opener against England, starting on Wednesday, January 22, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. His one-liners were the main attraction during the presser.
Well, Suryakumar Yadav is all set to return to action for the Indian national cricket team for the first time since the home series against Bangladesh in October 2024 with the upcoming white ball series against England. India and England will clash against each other in 5 T20Is and 3 ODIs.
Suryakumar Yadav opens up about his relationship with Hardik Pandya
Ahead of the first T20I at the Eden Gardens, the Indian skipper shed light on his equation with Hardik Pandya, who he announced to become the T20I captain following Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the shorter format of the game after winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. in 2024
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Suryakumar insisted that there is a strong friendship and mutual understanding between him and Hardik Pandya. The India captain also pointed out that Hardik is an integral part of the team’s leadership, saying that their bond has been strengthened over the years of friendship.
Suryakumar Yadav said at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday (January 21) in Kolkata, “The relationship with Hardik is really great. It’s just an added responsibility that I have. Hardik is part of the leading group. We were good friends.”
It hurts me not to be good in ODIs: Suryakumar Yadav on ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Additionally, Suryakumar also expressed his frustration over his poor ODI numbers while talking about his exclusion from the Indian squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. He admitted that his struggles in the format have not helped him and acknowledged the need to raise his ODI game. .
The explosive batsman added, “It hurts me that I didn’t do well in the ODIs. That’s why I’m not in the team for the Champions Trophy. If I had done well, I would have been there.”
Meanwhile, India’s national cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir is under immense pressure to deliver after the team’s recent defeats to Australia and New Zealand. However, Suryakumar Yadav insisted that the Men in Blue are heading in the right direction under Gambhir.
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Suryakumar Yadav expresses confidence in Gautam Gambhir’s leadership ahead of the T20I series
The Indian captain shared the experience of playing under Gautam Gambhir for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), sharing that he had the opportunity to play under Gambhir for four years.
He emphasized that Gambhir’s leadership style focuses on keeping things simple and giving players the freedom to express themselves. Suryakumar signed off saying, “I played under Gauti bhai for four years. We are going in the right direction. Gauti bhai keeps things simple. It gives us a lot of freedom.”
Notably, India have a strong record against England in T20I cricket, as they have won 13 of the 24 matches they have played against each other so far. The Indian team has also won the last four T20I series against England, making them favorites to win the upcoming home series.
