'You Will Play The Final": Suryakumar Yadav On How He Backed Abhishek Sharma Despite Struggles
India skipper Suryakumar Yadav recently opened up about how he backed young opener Abhishek Sharma amid his struggles during the T20 World Cup 2026.
India skipper Suryakumar Yadav recently opened up about how he backed young opener Abhishek Sharma amid his struggles during the T20 World Cup 2026. Team India was at its dominant best as it lifted the T20 World Cup title after defeating New Zealand by 96 runs in Ahmedabad. Abhishek, who had been going through a lean patch with a series of low scores, bounced back in spectacular fashion in the final. He smashed a fiery 52 off just 21 balls against the Kiwis, helping India post a mammoth total of 255/5 in 20 overs.
Following India's win, SKY revealed the conversation he had with Abhishek and how he guaranteed him a spot in the final despite the youngster's poor run of form.
"That's his identity as a player - when he bats for six or eight overs, he finishes games. I told him once, 'there are nine games in this World Cup, even if you fail in eight of them, score zero in all eight, I am taking the guarantee that you will face the first ball in the final,"' Suryakumar Yadav told The Indian Express.
Surya added that it was only a matter of time before Abhishek rediscovered his touch.
"Such players change games when they bat. I knew a day would come when he would finish it off. In the final, Axar sat next to me and said: we have two world No. 1 players in this team and they will fire today," he added.
Surya also admitted that dropping all-rounder Axar Patel for the Super 8 match against South Africa was his "mistake."
In a recent interview, he revealed that Axar was extremely upset with the decision, and he personally apologised after the match. The move ultimately backfired, as India suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the Proteas - their only loss in the tournament.
"He (Axar Patel) was very angry - and he should have been. He's an experienced player, he leads a franchise. He should be angry," Suryakumar said to The Indian Express.
"I apologised. I told him I made a mistake, and I'm sorry, but it was a call for the team. It was a hard conversation. He took it in his stride and we talked it through the next day."
India Cricket Team