IND vs NZ T20I series: Suryakumar reveals he won’t change his batting approach

Suryakumar Yadav’s recent lean patch has not shaken his self-belief.

The 35-year-old — who will play his 100th T20I when he leads the Indian side in the first T20I against New Zealand — was his joyous self while fielding pointed questions about his dwindling returns.

When asked how he was working on his game ‘behind the curtains’, a tongue-in-cheek reply ensued: “Parde ke peeche tho nahin kiya mein. Khula ground hee tha. Udar hee batting karne gaya tha. (I did not bat behind the curtain. I batted in an open ground itself),” Suryakumar said, evoking chuckles across the press conference hall at the VCA Stadium.

“I’ve been short of runs. But I can’t change my identity. I have decided to keep doing what I have been doing in the last three or four years, which has given me a lot of success,” Suryakumar said.

The skipper conveyed that his focus was on India’s performance in the five-match series and the upcoming T20 World Cup, and not his individual numbers.

“If I were playing a singles sport like table tennis or lawn tennis, I would have given more thought to it. This is a team sport, and my first responsibility is to know how the team is doing. I’m happy if I perform in the team’s victory. If not, it doesn’t matter, as it can happen. I have to look after the other 14 players also, as I’ve been appointed as the leader of everyone,” he explained.

Suryakumar was quick to point out that the Test and ODI series losses to New Zealand are history, and that India has been doing exceptionally well in the shortest format.

“The Test series loss was long back. The T20Is are about to start, and we’ll talk about that. We’ve been playing this format well. There will be pressure, but where’s the fun in playing if there is no pressure?”