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The dawn of the Suryakumar Yadav-Gautam Gambhir era in Indian cricket has been marked by a resounding success. Team India achieved a perfect 3-0 sweep in the recently concluded T20I series against Sri Lanka.
This series marked the beginning of a new chapter, with Suryakumar Yadav stepping in as the T20I captain in place of Rohit Sharma, and Gautam Gambhir taking over the reins as head coach from Rahul Dravid. The first match saw India dominate with a 43-run victory, followed by a comprehensive 7-wicket win (DLS method) in the second game to secure the series before the final match.
In a thrilling conclusion on Tuesday (July 30), India clinched the third T20I in a dramatic Super Over after a tense battle throughout the match. Despite early setbacks, India managed to post a challenging total of 137/7, thanks to crucial contributions from Shubman Gill, Riyan Parag, and Washington Sundar. Sri Lanka seemed poised for victory, needing only 9 runs from the final two overs, but Suryakumar Yadav’s astute leadership guided India to restrict them to 137/8, forcing a Super Over.
In the decisive Super Over, Sri Lanka faltered under pressure, managing only 2 runs off the first ball. India seized the opportunity and secured victory with their very first delivery, underlining their resilience and adaptability under new leadership.
Thus, under the guidance of Yadav and Gambhir, India’s T20I team has embarked on its journey with a triumph that promises exciting times ahead.
Suryakumar Yadav delighted with team effort.
Following the conclusion of the third game, Suryakumar Yadav expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance in the series. The Indian captain highlighted the influence of new coach Gautam Gambhir, who emphasized prioritizing team objectives over personal milestones—a principle the players wholeheartedly embraced.
Yadav cited examples from the series to illustrate this ethos, noting how Rishabh Pant opted to go for a boundary in the 19th over instead of settling for a single to reach his fifty, falling just short at 49 in the first game. He further highlighted instances in the second game where players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Hardik Pandya continued to attack aggressively, despite the option of playing more conservatively to secure the target.
Under Gambhir’s guidance, Yadav emphasized, the team has adopted a collective mindset aimed at achieving success through selfless contributions and cohesive teamwork, setting a promising tone for future endeavors.
“Gauti Bhai said that we have complete freedom from his side. He told us to back our skills. In the moment, the two people on the ground should make the call about what is best for the team and always prioritize the team over personal milestones,” said Suryakumar Yadav.
“That’s why you might have seen in the first game when Rishabh was on 49, he could have easily taken a single, but he didn’t. At that time, the team needed a boundary, and he went for that shot.
“Then in the second game, Hardik, Jaiswal, or I could have easily finished the match with plenty of time left, but we set the template we wanted to set. And we are taking what we needed from this series,” he added.
