Mumbai: India captain Suryakumar Yadav has broken his silence following the team’s 51-run defeat to South Africa in the second Twenty20 International, saying he and vice-captain Shubman Gill “could have given a good start” while chasing a target of 214 and acknowledging that India’s top order faltered in a key phase of the innings.
Asked about the loss, Suryakumar said that he and Gill needed to make the most of the early overs instead of leaving the middle order with too much to do. “I think myself, Shubman, we could have given a good start because we can’t rely on Abhishek all the time,” he said, admitting that the team’s chase never really got going after Gill was dismissed without scoring.
Suryakumar, who managed only a brief stay at the crease before departing for five, said he should have batted more responsibly after Gill’s early exit. “I should have batted deeper after Shubman got out,” he said, underlining his own role in India’s batting collapse.
He pointed out that while the middle order made some efforts to steady the innings, the early loss of key batters left the team under constant pressure. “Some players did try to hold the innings together, but we couldn’t put up the fight we needed,” he added.
Describing the defeat as a learning moment rather than a setback, Suryakumar said India must reflect on the performance and improve in the next match. “We have to take lessons from this game and come back stronger in the next match,” he said, stressing the need for better starts and more consistent contributions from the top order.
India were dismissed for 162 in 19.1 overs while chasing South Africa’s total, which brought the series level at 1-1. Suryakumar’s comments have highlighted the challenges in India’s batting approach and the responsibility expected of senior players in big chases.
