Suryakumar Yadav Reveals 'Very Special' Relationship With Coach Gautam Gambhir

Suryakumar Yadav, India's T20I captain, recently shared insights about his bond with new head coach Gautam Gambhir. He reminisced about their time together at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Following Rohit Sharma's retirement from T20 internationals, Suryakumar was appointed as the captain of the Indian T20I team for the Sri Lanka tour. Gambhir took over as head coach after Rahul Dravid stepped down last month.

India's tour of Sri Lanka starts on Saturday, July 27, with a T20I match. The tour includes three T20Is and three ODIs, marking Gambhir's debut as head coach of the national team.

In a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Suryakumar expressed his excitement about working with Gambhir again. He recalled playing under him for KKR in 2014 and how their relationship has remained strong.

"This relationship (with Gambhir) is very special because when I went in IPL 2014, I played under him for KKR. It was special because I got the opportunity to play for that franchise. My relationship is still strong with him," said Suryakumar.

Suryakumar highlighted that Gambhir understands his work ethic and mindset during practice sessions. "But he knows how I work, what my mindset is when I come to practice with him, and how he tries to work. As a coach it is all about that lovely relationship we have and very excited to see how it goes forward," he added.

BCCI (@BCCI) July 26, 2024

Gambhir was a significant support system for Suryakumar early in his career. This support was evident when Suryakumar served as vice-captain of KKR. Now, in Gambhir's first task of selecting a squad, Suryakumar has been named captain of the T20I side.

Leadership Lessons

Suryakumar enjoys being a leader on the field and has learned much from other captains he has played under. "It is a good feeling and a great responsibility also," Yadav noted.

Discussing an important lesson from cricket, Suryakumar emphasised humility and balance in life. "I think the most important thing I have learnt from this sport is how humble you are after achieving something or even after when you are not doing well. That is one thing that I have learned," he said.

"When you do something on the ground, you have to leave it on the ground and when you go off the field, that is it. This is not your life. It is just part of your life."

Maintaining Balance

Suryakumar stressed not letting success or failure affect one's overall outlook on life. "So you cannot be... When you are doing well, you stay on the top and when you're not doing well, you are underground. That is one thing which I feel you should not do as a sportsman," he explained.

This will be Suryakumar Yadav's second stint as captain. He previously led India in seven T20Is last year during home series against Australia and an away series against South Africa, winning five matches and losing two.