Suryakumar Yadav willingness to adjust for the greater good, says Steyn

Former South Africa pace ace Dale Steyn feels Suryakumar Yadav’s “secure, welcoming, and willing to adjust” captaincy brings out the best in the the players, who in turn back their skipper.

With head coach Gautam Gambhir emphasising flexibility, dynamism, and a willingness to adapt to match situations, India have been experimenting with their batting line-up.

Skipper Suryakumar himself shuffled between No.3 and No.4 spots. In the opening T20I against South Africa he came in at 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,” Steyn said on JioStar.

“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 added.

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Hardik integral to India’s success at T20 World Cup

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Hardik Pandya brings an irreplaceable balance to the India team making the pace-bowling all-rounder an “integral part” of India’s T20 World Cup plans, according to former India cricketer Robin Uthappa.

Hardik, who was out of action since September when he sustained a quadriceps injury during the Asia Cup, marked his return into national colours with an all-round performance helping India defeat South Africa by 101 runs in the series opener.

He scored a blistering unbeaten 28-ball 59 to lift India to 175 for 6 before taking the key wicket of David Miller with the ball.

“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,” Uthappa said.

“He brings balance 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,” he added.