Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav believes the country’s talent pool in the shortest format has grown so vast that multiple international-quality teams could be formed at the same time — a reflection of the depth created by domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Suryakumar said the current generation of players represents perhaps the strongest T20 group India has produced, highlighting how franchise cricket and domestic competitions continue to produce new stars every season.“If you talk about talent, I feel you can find talent regularly. There is IPL cricket, franchise cricket, then there is domestic cricket. You can see how many players come every year,” Suryakumar said in a podcast interview with PTI Videos.
“So I feel talent is unlimited. If you can make two-three playing XIs, our base is so strong, of the Indian team. So this is not a modest and diplomatic reply. But now it is so strong, so there is no shame in telling the truth.”Since taking over the captaincy after Rohit Sharma stepped down following the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 triumph in Barbados, Suryakumar has overseen a period of remarkable success. Under his leadership, India have won 42 of their 52 T20 Internationals, establishing themselves as one of the most dominant sides in the format.The 35-year-old credited the team’s impressive run to a collective mindset within the dressing room.“I don’t pay too much attention to statistics but I hate losing any game. If everyone in the dressing room moves in the same direction, only then can you achieve such a percentage,” he said, referring to India’s near 80 per cent win rate.Known for his innovative 360-degree strokeplay, Suryakumar also described T20 batting as largely instinctive and reactive once a player steps onto the field.“I feel batting is about 70–75 per cent reaction. The remaining 25 per cent is instinct, what you decide to do in the moment. Once you enter the ground, you are almost in autopilot mode. You try to bat with rhythm and according to the situation,” he explained.Suryakumar also highlighted his strong working relationship with India head coach Gautam Gambhir, revealing how closely aligned their thinking has been while building the current squad.“Out of 15 names we both suggested, 14 were common. That means the thinking was the same. When the goals are clear, there are no arguments, only discussions,” he said.
