Last Update on: February 17th, 2022 at 03:55 pm
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Indian batter Suryakumar Yadav said that Rohit Sharma is leading from the front after India defeated West Indies by six wickets in the first T20 International match on Wednesday.
Nicholas Pooran (61) and Kieron Pollard (24*) put 45 runs together to resurrect the visitors’ innings as West Indies added 61 runs in the last five overs to muster a respectable score of 157/7 in the first innings.
Rohit and Ishan Kishan put 64 runs for the opening stand before the former departed in the eighth over to Roston Chase. Virat Kohli, who has been out of form with the bat, scored 17 off 13 balls before holing out to Pollard at long-off while attempting to loft Fabian Allen for a big shot.
Wicketkeeper-batter Pant scored a run-a-ball eight runs but couldn’t finish the game for his team as he hoicked one to get caught by Odean Smith at short fine-leg off Sheldon Cottrell’s bowling in the 15th over.
India required 38 runs from the last five overs, Suryakumar Yadav (34) and Venkatesh Iyer (24) ensured the job was done as India chased the target with seven balls to spare.
Rohit Sharma is not doing anything different: Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar, who has been playing under Rohit’s leadership at franchise-level cricket, said the Indian limited-overs skipper has been doing the same thing over the years, capitalising in the PowerPlay overs.
“What to say? The entire world is seeing his batting. He is a class player. He played the way he has been playing for India all these years. He is not doing anything different,” Suryakumar said in the post-match press conference.
“When he is batting in the powerplay, when he feels he is in good touch, he is capitalising on it. He is doing it wonderfully, leading from the front,” he added.
Venkatesh Iyer’s positivity rubbed off on me: Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar also heaped praise over Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer for supporting him at the end of the chase and the Mumbai batter was content with himself for remaining till the end of the chase.
“It was very important for me to stay till the end and finish off the game. I have been in this situation many a time. Every time, when I used to get out, leaving 20-25 runs behind, I used to feel bad. I think the situation was perfect. I just needed to raise my hand and bail the side out. Very happy to be on the winning side,” Suyakumar said.
“The way he came into bat, that positivity rubbed off on me. He started his innings with a boundary, I felt it was the perfect platform for the both of us to stay there and finish off the game,” he added.
India will play the second T20I match against West Indies on Friday (February 18) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.