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Ahmedabad: Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 final, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav expressed unwavering confidence in his teammates. During a press conference ahead of the final against New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Surya described the team atmosphere as very relaxed. He clarified that the team is focusing on collective efforts rather than individual performances. The captain warned his opponents, saying that playing on home soil is a special feeling, and that the entire team is fully prepared and excited for this historic occasion.
Suryakumar responded candidly to questions about spinner Varun Chakravarthy's recent form. He stated that he has no concerns about anyone's form, as cricket is a team sport, and when the team is winning, individual ups and downs don't matter. Expressing confidence in Varun's abilities, Surya said, "There's nothing to worry about at all... He's the world's number one bowler and he knows how to approach each match and win the match for the team." He stressed that if a player has a bad day, the rest of the team is always ready to cover for him.
The captain also spoke at length about the team's batting combination and the impact of the young players, especially Abhishek Sharma. Citing the example of the last bilateral series, Surya explained how the top-three pair of Abhishek, Sanju, and Ishan has changed the direction of the Indian batting. Praising the aggressiveness of Abhishek Sharma and the other youngsters, Suryakumar said, "As soon as we brought Abhishek, Sanju, and Ishan into the top three, the game changed completely; we started batting completely differently." According to Surya, this was a very positive decision that has given the team the necessary momentum and confidence needed in big tournaments.
Speaking to reporters on the eve of the match, Suryakumar Yadav discussed his captaincy style and the freedom he gives his players. He said that he doesn't want to pressure the players by acting like a "big brother" or "father," but rather wants to "let them loose" so that they can get the best out of themselves. Suryakumar admitted that it's natural to feel pressure and nervousness in the final. However, he acknowledged, "Where there's no pressure, there's no fun." Recalling Rohit Sharma's mantra of "team contribution," Surya clarified that there's no room for individual achievements in the team anymore, and every player will take the field with the sole goal of making India world champions.