Guwahati, Jan 25 (IANS) India skipper Suryakumar Yadav continued his fine form with the bat and carried the momentum from the second T20I into the third game as the Men in Blue beat New Zealand by eight wickets at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Sunday and stated that this is the ‘brand of cricket’ that the team wants to put up in the format, irrespective of the side batting first or chasing a total.
He delivered a captain’s innings, scoring an unbeaten 57 off 26 balls as India reached 154 in only 10 overs. The victory was boosted by an unbeaten 102-run partnership between Suryakumar and Abhishek Sharma, with the latter hitting 68 not out in 20 balls.
“I think we’ve spoken about this. This is the brand of cricket which we want to play, irrespective we are batting first or chasing. Of course, for example, if we are 20 for 3 or 40 for 4 tomorrow, we know how to bat. But if you want to play a different brand of cricket, then I think this is the best way going forward. And what do I say about the top 2-3 batters? They made my job very easy,” Suryakumar said in the post-match presentation, reflecting on the team’s approach during the chase.
Asked if this was the definition of dominance taught to him during his school days, the Indian skipper smiled and said, “I think the principal and the teachers, they allot me a lot of time to play this game. They gave me a lot of holidays when it was tests and school time. I think from there, I used to practice a lot, go to the ground and learn from there.”
Suryakumar also reserved praise for leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi, who played a key role with the ball. “I think his plans are pretty clear. He knows his strong points, he knows his bowling really well. Whenever chips are down, whenever team is under pressure, he’s always delivered. So very good to have him in the side. And a good rest also for Varun, so yeah,” he added.
–IANS
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