'He is a class player, leading the team from the front' - Suryakumar Yadav lauds captain Rohit Sharma

After India’s successful outing in the first T20I at the Eden Gardens against West Indies, Suryakumar Yadav was pleased to see the recently-appointed captain Rohit Sharma, leading his team to a win right from the front.

Yadav stated that the opening batter laid the perfect platform for the rest of the batting lineup to capitalize on. He also emphasized that Rohit is not doing anything different and has been playing this way for India for over a long time.

“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,” said Yadav.

The Indian skipper was in stellar touch with the bat. He smashed 40 off just 19 deliveries opening the batting having been set a target of 158 by the Windies. The innings saw four boundaries and three sixes off his bat.

Rohit’s innings also managed to conceal a laborious 42-ball 35 knock from his opening partner Ishan Kishan, who struggled to time the ball. However, Rohit ensured India made the most of the powerplay overs and kept the required run rate in check.

“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,” Yadav added.

Was important for me to stay till the end and finish off the game: Suryakumar Yadav

Yadav, who was in fine form himself, played a gritty knock of 34 in 18 deliveries to rescue India off a tricky phase where they lost Kishan, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant in quick succession. The middle-order batsman formed an unbeaten 48-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Venkatesh Iyer.

SKY, as he is fondly called, admitted that he was failing to finish games for India in the past and wanted to correct that with this innings.

“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,” he explained.

He was also appreciative of Iyer’s effort who scored 24 off 13 to partner Yadav in the run chase. He stated that the southpaw’s positive intent gave him the confidence to lay a platform and chase down the score.

“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

The two teams will now battle it out in the second T20I to be played at the same ground on Friday, February 18th.