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Ashok Aswalkar, Suryakumar Yadav’s childhood coach, has backed the India captain to come good despite the massive pressure of the T20 World Cup final. The Men in Blue are set to play New Zealand in the final on March 8 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. 

Knowing Suryakumar from a very early age, Aswalkar stated that he will thrive under the massive expectations and pressure and that could rub on the rest of the India team on the big occasion.

"Suryakumar is a player who plays well and often does not get affected by pressure on the field. The team shouldn't be bothered by the strategy of the New Zealand players. Under pressure, the Indian team has always performed and this time too, they are going to excel,” Aswalkar said whilst speaking to NDTV.

Aswalkar has also stated that a special ‘Guru Mantra’ will be sent to Suryakumar ahead of the start of the T20 World Cup final. The details, however, will remain with the former coach and the player. 

"I am very excited for today's match. As soon as India wins, I'm going to call and congratulate the entire family," he added.

Indiacome into the final on the back of some excellent performances, barring one disappointing outing against South Africa at the same venue as the final. Suryakumar’s side booked their place in the final after beating England in an enthralling semi-final which saw the Men in Blue win by seven runs despite scoring 253 from their 20 overs. 

Suryakumar, meanwhile, has had a relatively quieter tournament based on his lofty standards. The skipper has scored 242 runs at an average of 34.57, striking at just under 135. The stage is, however, set for him to lead from the front to help India create history in Ahmedabad. 

The 35-year-old does have a great T20I record against New Zealand, having scored 526 runs at an average of 58.44 and strike-rate of 170.77. He has even scored a century against the Black Caps in the format, an unbeaten 111 back in 2022