India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has admitted to feeling a bit anxious about his future, especially in light of Shubman Gill’s rise as a leader. However, he says it is this very fear that drives him to perform better.
In an interaction with The Indian Express, Surya also mentioned that he shares a very good relationship with Gill.
“I am very happy for him, that he has become captain in two formats,” he said. “He has done really well. I won’t lie, everyone feels that fear. But it’s the kind of fear that keeps you motivated. The camaraderie between me and him (Shubman Gill) is amazing – both on and off the field. I know what kind of player and person he is, so it just motivates me to do well. But I am happy for him.”
The Mumbai batter made his international debut against England on 14 March 2021 but did not get a chance to bat. In his second match, however, he hit the first ball he faced in international cricket for a six. The delivery, bowled at 143.9 kph by Jofra Archer, was dispatched authoritatively by Surya, who went on to score 57 off 31 balls – including six fours and three sixes – at a strike rate of 183.87. His performance was instrumental in India’s win and earned him the Player of the Match award.
The 35-year-old referred to that innings to illustrate that he doesn’t allow fear to get the better of him.
“If I were someone who got affected by things like this and overthought them, I wouldn’t have played my first ball in international cricket the way I did. So I left that fear behind a long time ago. I believe that if I’m working hard on myself, doing what needs to be done, and being honest with myself, the rest will take care of itself,” he added.
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