Surya Calm Ahead of Crunch Clash

 Ahmedabad: A day ahead of the biggest match of the tournament, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav said he was not thinking too much as he looked at the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand with unusual calm.

“There is a bit of pressure but at the same time, there is a lot of excitement. You don’t always get a chance to play in a World Cup final, that too in India. This is a special feeling,” he told reporters on Saturday.

“They (New Zealand) have been playing some good cricket and come up with good plans, so do we. We have been preparing for such a big stage and I’m sure it will be a good game tomorrow,” he added.

The Indian captain said the team had enough experience of playing the finals. “There are players in this team who have played a lot of ICC events. Bumrah, Hardik, Axar and others have played ICC events in pressure situations, so I think it will help a lot to have a conversation with them,” he said.

Commenting on the mental strength of the side, Surya said: “When you are in your practice sessions you put a lot of pressure on yourself, taking those difficult catches and batting in difficult situations to prepare yourself mentally. When you go into the game, you know you have done all these things at training sessions, and it helps.”

Surya also spoke about Sanju Samson’s inclusion in the playing XI midway through the tournament. “It was a positive call. I saw that he was working so hard for it. When he was not playing, he was doing everything that he could do for the team at practice sessions and that was encouraging,” he said.

What’s the kind of message he gives to youngsters in the team? “They don’t let me talk much in the dressing room and dictate their terms,” he joked, adding “I have seen that when they get freedom, they become different characters on the ground. After noticing this I understood there is no point in being a big brother. You have to leave them to get the best from them.”

“All I have told them is to play the way they do at State, franchise and international cricket, and to follow the style of play that has brought them success. And we have seen from the game against Zimbabwe (in the Super Eight stage) that everyone has been contributing,” he said.

“Also, the personal milestone funda is out of this team. Tilak, for example in the last game, scored 21 runs in 7 balls. Or if someone scored 8 runs in 5 balls, that is almost similar to what others getting a 50 or a 100. For example we won the last game by 7 runs. If someone scored 7 or 10 runs in 4 balls, that was important. If a player needs to put aside his natural game and adapt to the situation, he has to do it, that’s been the theory of this team. I feel that spreads positivity and creates a better environment in the team and gets everyone on the same page,” he explained.