"No One Bigger Than...": Suryakumar Yadav Reveals Gautam Gambhir's Message That Fired Up Team India
Gautam Gambhir has helped the Indian team push the boundaries of aggression up a notch since taking over the head coach role from Rahul Dravid.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav reaffirmed the stance that no one is "bigger than the team" and having a "selfless" approach after the hosts handed Bangladesh a shellacking in the final T20I. On the final night of the tour, India dished out a thumping 133-run defeat to the visitors, but this one will be remembered for ages. On Saturday, a selfless approach that has been a constant theme since the inception of head coach Gautam Gambhir's era. Sanju Samson epitomised the selfless and fearless approach with a dashing performance.
From 62 off 29 balls, Samson raced to 92 off 35 balls with five consecutive towering maximums in the 10th over bowled by wrist-spinner Rishad Hossain.
With four runs away, Samson drilled the ball over Mahedi Hasan Miraz to celebrate his 40-ball hundred. His heroics laid the foundation for India to slam 297/6, the second-highest total in T20I history.
"I think we have achieved a lot as a team. Most importantly, as I said at the start of the series, I want to have selfless cricketers in my team. We want to be a selfless team, and as Hardik [Pandya] said, we want to just enjoy each others' performance on the field and off the field and spend as much time as possible, and that camaraderie is carrying on the field, and we're having some fun," Suryakumar said in the post-series presentation.
"The chat around the team has been like that. Gauti bhai (Gautam Gambhir) said the same thing at the start of the series and when we went to Sri Lanka as well: 'No one is bigger than the team'. If you're at 99 or 49 or anything, if you feel you've to hit the ball out of the park for the team, you have to hit it, and Sanju did the same thing. Happy for him," he added.
With some of India's mainstays, including Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant and others, preparing for the T20I series for the three Tests against New Zealand, India had to reorganise its squad.
India's squad consisted heavily of all-rounders, with Suryakumar using seven bowling options in the second and third T20Is. A couple of changes in the batting order were also visible, with young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy being promoted to the number four spot during the second T20I in New Delhi.
Suryakumar emphasised the need to be flexible with both batters and bowlers and said, "We've to be very flexible when it comes to batting and bowling as well.
"Everyone has to chip in with few overs who can, and batters have to be very flexible. The way they showed it in the series was very commendable. Just [have to] maintain the good habits and continue that on the field and just be the same," he added.
India's next T20I assignment will begin on November 8, with India touring South Africa for a four-match series.
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India Cricket Team
Bangladesh Cricket Team
Gautam Gambhir