Top News

India captain Suryakumar Yadav said the team’s T20I success stems from maintaining the same mindset across bilaterals and major tournaments. Speaking ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, he said consistency in approach helped India excel at the 2024 World Cup and will remain key going forward.

Mumbai: Ahead of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, India skipper Suryakumar Yadav attributed the team's roaring success in T20Is over the last few years to their consistency of mindset across competitions.

Suryakumar was talking at a Captains Day media interaction at the BCCI headquarters on Thursday.

"We have been playing some good brand of cricket from last 2-3 years, but I think we have changed our thinking,"

"Earlier, we used to play bilateral (series) differently than the ICC tournaments, but now, be it an ICC event or (the) Asia Cup or even a bilateral (match), we try to play in the same manner," he added.

The star batter stated this mindset led to the success of the team at the 2024 T20 World Cup.

"This is why, when we went to play the 2024 T20 World Cup, it did not feel any different and rather, it felt like we've been playing this way for an entire year," he added.

Going into the T20 World Cup, Suryakumar felt the team will apply themselves the same way and execute their skills just as they have been doing over the last year.

"Even now, the kind of cricket we've been playing for the last year, we will try to play the same way (in T20 World Cup). And if we play well, the result will also be on our side,"

"He is doing really well. He is almost there. We want him to be fully fit when he comes back... 100 per cent, we will be patient with him,"

Suryakumar lavished praise on head coach Gautam Gambhir's role saying he had always put the team first and personal milestones have been put on the backburner.

"The dressing room is the same, only a few boxes (compartments of a train) have changed, but it has been a wonderful journey since he has taken over," Suryakumar said.

"For example, in the last match in Thiruvananthapuram, Ishan was in his 90s and he completed his hundred with a six. That is one thing he (Gambhir) is trying in the dressing room, keeping the personal milestones away and focusing on what's the team's goal and then the work towards it," he added.

Suryakumar revealed Gambhir had given batters to play with a lot of freedom.

"So everything (else) comes in that (and) there is no need to do anything else. (Also) the freedom which is given to everyone. The two batters in the middle have that freedom, the dressing room atmosphere is very light, (having) good team dinners and even going out for movies together, all these things small, small things helps a lot in a team atmosphere," he added.

Former India captain MS Dhoni had mentioned that dew factor could create obstacles for India but Suryakumar felt that factor needs to be taken out of the game.

"We are batting well and we are chasing well. Whatever the situation is on the game-day, (may) be it in the semifinal or the final, we will take a decision. If we have to bat first, we will do that," he said.

"Having runs on board is always better. Also, we have played a lot of matches where dew was a factor. (We have) so many players in the team who have been playing for so many years, both franchise and international cricket," he added.