"It feels great...": Suryakumar Yadav on winning back-to-back T20 World Cup title

Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav hailed the achievement, saying, "It feels great, winning in back-to-back." In an exclusive interview with ICC, he elaborated on the team's meticulous preparations and strategic mindset throughout the tournament.

"We knew that this tournament was going to happen in India, so our preparations were spot on. We understood how the conditions will be, what we needed to do, how we wanted to play. I think care is the right word, which I felt seeped into this team slowly when the tournament started, thinking about each other, what the team requires at a given point. This was the mantra for this year's edition," Yadav said.

The Indian skipper amassed 242 runs over the course of the tournament, emphasising team focus over individual milestones. He hailed the selfless attitude of the team players. "Not think about personal milestones, just think about what the team wants at that moment and play as per that," he said.

India topped Group A with an unbeaten record, though they suffered a setback in the Super Eight stage, losing to South Africa by 76 runs. The Men in Blue bounced back in style, defeating West Indies in a virtual quarter-final, England in the semi-final, and ultimately New Zealand in the final.

"We had a little bit of a roller coaster ride since game one. No one made it easy (for us). We knew that it was going to be difficult as you play at home. The pressure is more in front of your home crowd. Playing in India, there was a lot of responsibility. Yes, everyone was excited for the tournament, but yeah, at the same time, it was a lot of pressure as well," Yadav reflected.

The captain also praised the team's resilience in handling dips in form. Abhishek Sharma, who struggled with the bat earlier in the tournament, responded brilliantly in the final, scoring a half-century. "You need to put, put your arm around their shoulders. Understand what's going on in their mind and share your experience. Let them be free. Things did not go Abhishek's way at first. Still, he went out and did things his way," Yadav said.

Similarly, Rinku Singh Kishan made a remarkable comeback to international cricket after a two-year absence, scoring 317 runs in nine matches. Recalling their conversation before the tournament, Yadav said, "Before the tournament, I still remember when we were picking the team. I had a call with him, and I told him, 'Will you win the World Cup for me?' He said, just show a little bit of trust, and I'll do it. And he didn't disappoint. In the last two years, he has missed out on a lot of international cricket, but then he went back to domestic cricket, played his part, did those hard yards, came back again into the Indian side, and did the best what he's known to do."

Sanju Samson emerged as the tournament's standout performer, amassing 321 runs, the highest by an Indian in a single T20 World Cup edition and earning the Player of the Tournament award. "And Sanju Samson, I think he's ice," Yadav said. "He's always been the best man to have around, and the moment he got an opportunity, I feel he did the best what the team wanted. I think it's good to have him like an elder brother in the side to keep everything calm."

While India consistently posted totals over 250 runs in key matches, pacer Jasprit Bumrah delivered decisive performances. He turned the semi-final against England in India's favour with a game-changing spell in the 18th over and claimed 4/15 in the final, earning the Player of the Match award.

Yadav lauded his bowling spearhead, saying, "A bowler had not won a Man of the Match in this tournament for India, and that was a perfect occasion, perfect game. Robot, national treasure, Jasprit Bumrah, raising his hand, doing it for the team time and again. (In the final) As soon as we scored 250, 256, we always knew that we had a little bit of upper hand with our bowling unit because I take a lot of pride in my bowling department. I know on a given day they can defend any total for me."

Looking ahead, Yadav and his team are eyeing a historic three-peat in 2028, coinciding with cricket's Olympic debut at the Los Angeles Games. "One was definitely to win a T20 World Cup. We won it in 2024, wanted to win it as leader, won it in 2026. And also, why not Olympics, cricket at the 2028 Olympics, it's going to be a special, special entry. All eyes on the 2028 Olympics and also the T20 World Cup later on," he concluded. (ANI)