Team India’s ‘Bonding’ Exercise Attracts Criticism From Former Players

Team India clean swept Sri Lanka 3-0 in a T20 series on Tuesday, with the win marking the start of a new era under new head coach Gautam Gambhir. The Suryakumar Yadav-led side won the series finale via Super Over in Pallekele. After the series win, Suryakumar revealed that since the start of the T20 World Cup, the players have been asked not to sit in smaller groups, but so sit as a team.

“We don’t sit together as a team for fun only when we win a game or a series. This trend started during the World Cup, where no matter the result or performance in the game, we used to sit together. We decided that we wouldn’t sit in groups of 2 or 3 people but always sit together as a team. The same thing happened during this series. This leads to better bonding between the players and reflects on the ground. It also builds that friendship and ability to stand in support of a fellow member of the team,” Suryakumar told Sony Sports Network.

Reacting to Suryakumar’s revelation, former India cricketers Ajay Jadeja and Ashish Nehra said that the captain’s remark left him a bit surprised. Jadeja insisted that this ‘bonding’ activity should happen involuntarily in a team environment and not as a forced change.

“That is what you expect in a team sport. I’m just surprised that players are talking about this even today and it has been rather a change in the team that players won’t sit in small groups. I don’t know, did you not all sit together in previous teams? But again, the captain mentioned that he brought this change, although this is old,” Jadeja told Sony Sports.

Nehra echoed Jadeja’s sentiments, and questioned the managment for not starting the exercise earlier.

“Didn’t he say that this change happened during the World Cup? That happened only a month back. I’m not doubting him, but I’m rather surprised that this has only started now,” Nehra questioned.

After winning the T20I series, India will now take on Sri Lanka in a three-match ODI series.