India skipper Suryakumar Yadav hopes to ‘walk the talk’ against Australia

VISAKHAPATNAM: On the eve of his first series as captain of India, Suryakumar Yadav was in good spirits despite the heartbreak of the World Cup final, which took place just three days ago in Ahmedabad.

“It is disappointing, but in the end, when you look back at the journey, it was a great campaign. Every member, not only the players but even the support staff and the whole of India, was proud of how everyone displayed their talent on the ground. The brand of cricket which we played throughout the tournament is a positive (and) we can be very proud of,” said Suryakumar ahead of the five-match T20 international series against Australia.

On the challenges of playing a series just days after a big final, he said, “It is difficult. It will take time. I mean, it can’t be that you get up the next morning and you forget everything that happened.

“It was a long tournament, and obviously, we would have loved to win, but then, as you say, when you get up in the morning, there’s always sunrise again and light at the end of the tunnel. You have to forget it and move on. It’s a fresh team, new boys and great energy. So we are looking forward to this T20 series.”

The swashbuckling batter also added the way Rohit Sharma led from the front with his attacking game will have a lasting impact on the side.

“That’s one thing which will set an example. It was a completely different Rohit Sharma. He walked the talk. What we spoke about in the team meetings, he did the same thing on the ground, and hopefully, we will try to replicate the same thing,” he said.

Commenting on the importance of the series and his interaction with the youngsters, he said, “I feel that keeping that T20 World Cup in mind, the games that we are going to play until then are very important. My message to them (youngsters) is clear: just be fearless and do whatever it takes to help the team. They have been doing that in the IPL and played a lot of domestic cricket recently, so they are in good nick.”

With Australia holding the World Test Championship and the 50-over World Cup, the team can have all three ICC crowns if it wins the T20 World Cup next year. When asked about the importance of this series in that context, skipper Matthew Wade said, “Yeah, absolutely. We let the boys celebrate and let that victory soak in, and then your attention obviously shifts toward the T20 World Cup.

“There are only 11 games, so for guys to get opportunities here and try and cement a spot into that squad is front of mind. It is a great opportunity for the younger players and some of the senior players like myself to get out here and play for Australia again.” Agencies

Also Read: Suryakumar Yadav to lead India in 5-match T20I Series againt Australia

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