"We will not sit in small groups" - Suryakumar Yadav hints at rift in Indian dressing room

Suryakumar Yadav, newly appointed T20I captain for Team India, has opened up about differences in the dressing room after the third and final T20I match against Sri Lanka. Suryakumar Yadav said that the team has decided to sit together in every moment in all situations instead of small groups like 2-3 players.

The Men in Blue made four changes to their playing XI for the final T20I match against Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, July 30. The visiting team collapsed to 48/5 after being asked to bat first. However, the Men in Blue managed to reach a total of 137 runs in the allotted 20 overs.

Sri Lanka seemed poised to chase down the target at one stage. However, the home team suffered a collapse in the batting order similar to the first two matches. They lost their last seven wickets for just 22 runs. The match was forced into a Super Over to determine the outcome, where India secured victory.

Trend Started From T20I World Cup - Suryakumar Yadav

Speaking after the match, Suryakumar Yadav highlighted that all players now sit together in both good and bad times rather than in small groups. He stated that they adopted this approach during the T20 World Cup to strengthen team bonding.

"Trend started from T20I World Cup that we have decided that we will not sit in small groups like 2-3 players, we will sit together in every moment whether the situation is good or bad & this helped us a lot in terms of our bonding in the team," Suryakumar told Sony Sports Network.

Suryakumar Yadav came on to bowl the last over ahead of Mohammed Siraj. He secured two wickets in his first over in T20 Internationals and conceded just five runs as Sri Lanka leveled India's score. The Indian skipper hit a boundary on the first ball of the Super Over when three runs were needed to win the match.

Rohit Sharma Ka Chela Hai Suryakumar Yadav - Mohammad Kaif

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif lauded Suryakumar Yadav following India's series win over Sri Lanka. Kaif highlighted Yadav learned leadership qualities from Rohit Sharma. Kaif emphasized that Yadav played a crucial role in bowling the final over and leading the team to victory.

"Bhai Rohit Sharma ka chela hai Surya.. 19th over Rinku se, 20th over khud SKY and won the game (Surya is Rohit Sharma's protege. Rinku bowled the 19th over, SKY bowled the 20th over himself, and won the game). What else one needs to be a great leader?," Kaif wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Bhai Rohit Sharma ka chela hai Surya.. 19th over Rinku se, 20th over khud SKY and won the game. What else one needs to be a great leader?

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) July 30, 2024

Suryakumar Yadav will not be seen in action during the upcoming three-match ODI series in Sri Lanka. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have returned to the squad for these matches. The first ODI will be played at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday, August 2.

Also read: Sanath Jayasuriya's teammate calls out his team after India clean sweeps; labels Sri Lanka a Disgrace