Former South African star pacer Dale Steyn believes Suryakumar Yadav's "secure, welcoming, and willing to adjust" captaincy brings out the best in his players, who in turn support their captain.
With head coach Gautam Gambhir emphasizing flexibility, dynamism, and a readiness to react to match situations, India has been experimenting with its batting lineup. Skipper Suryakumar himself alternated between third and fourth place. In the first T20I against South Africa, he was one down.
"When you have the backing of your team and feel comfortable in your environment, you can have open conversations with your players. You're not threatened by your spot or by the captaincy.
You put the team first and say, 'What's best for the individual? What's best for the team?' That's the kind of captain everyone wants, someone who's secure, welcoming, and willing to adjust for the greater good. Even if it's just for a game or a series, that flexibility brings out the best in your players.
So, when he tells someone, 'You can't bat at three today, I need you at six,' the batter understands because the captain has backed him before. That's a fantastic skill and a great leadership quality," Steyn said on JioStar.
On the other hand, former India cricketer Robin Uthappa spoke about how Hardik Pandya brings an irreplaceable balance to the India team and how the all-rounder is an ‘integral part’ of the Indian team for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Hardik won the Player of the Match on his India team comeback as he smashed an unbeaten 28-ball 59 to lift India to 175 for 6 before taking the key wicket of David Miller with the ball in the first T20I in Cuttack.
"He is an out-and-out match-winner, someone who will be integral to India's success at the World Cup or in any T20 format, whether for India, in the IPL, or in white-ball cricket overall. He brings balance that no one else offers. And after a long time, India had Hardik playing alongside another fast-bowling all-rounder in Shivam Dube, which is rare for India," Uthappa said.
(PTI inputs)
