Suryakumar Yadav Reveals: ‘Sometimes Hardik Pandya Won’t…’ Praises India’s Young Talent

India’s T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, recently shared his admiration for the nation’s young cricket talents following their commanding 86-run victory over Bangladesh in the second T20I. Notably, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya did not bowl a single over, despite the team using seven bowlers—all of whom took at least one wicket, a first in T20I history for India.

Suryakumar revealed that his goal was to challenge the middle order under pressure and was particularly pleased with the performances of Nitish Reddy and Rinku Singh. “I wanted my middle-order to bat under pressure and express themselves. I’m really happy with the way Rinku and Nitish played. They batted exactly as I wanted,” said Suryakumar.

India faced early pressure, reeling at 41/3 before Nitish Reddy and Rinku Singh’s counter-attack. The pair built a crucial 108-run partnership, with Reddy smashing 74 off just 34 balls and Rinku contributing 53 off 29.

Nitish Reddy further showcased his all-round prowess by opening the bowling and taking two wickets, becoming the first Indian player to score more than 70 runs and claim two wickets in a T20I. Alongside him, Riyan Parag and Abhishek Sharma also chipped in with crucial wickets, which left no need for Hardik Pandya to bowl.

On his strategy with the bowlers, Suryakumar remarked, “I wanted to see what different bowlers could do in various situations. Sometimes Hardik won’t bowl, sometimes Washington Sundar won’t bowl. I’m very happy with the way the bowlers stepped up.”

India’s new-look squad, which is emerging after senior players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja retired from T20I cricket, has been impressive. Under Gautam Gambhir’s coaching guidance, the young core has shone brightly, securing series wins against both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh with a display of exceptional all-round skills.

As the T20I side evolves, the performances of these rising stars hint at a promising future for Indian cricket.