In a striking endorsement of his captain’s leadership style, Indian pacer Prasidh Krishna has come out in strong support of Suryakumar Yadav’s captaincy during the ongoing five-match T20I series against Australia. Known affectionately as Surya, the interim captain has been leading from the front, showcasing not just tactical acumen but also encouraging player autonomy on the field, which has coincided with India securing successive victories in the series.
Krishna, who retained his spot in the Indian T20 lineup following the series in Ireland, expressed deep admiration for Surya’s captaincy during a post-match press conference. Reflecting on the captain’s approach, Krishna compared Surya’s batting prowess to his leadership style, noting, “It shows in the way he bats – very similar in his captaincy as well. He trusts his players, backs all of us to do what we want to do and he’s there right behind us to support if there’s anything going wrong.”
The camaraderie and sense of trust have been pivotal for the team, allowing players the freedom to express themselves and execute their strategies with confidence. Krishna, who has been a valuable asset to the team’s bowling department, highlighted the importance of this ethos: “That has been the name of the game and then that’s the word around freedom, go and execute your plans out there and everyone trusts each other in the team.”
Beyond the psychological aspects of the game, Krishna also offered insights into the physical and environmental challenges posed by conditions in India, particularly the notorious issue of dew affecting play. Speaking candidly about the difficulties of bowling under such conditions, he remarked, “It was quite difficult to bowl. We were planning to tackle dew even in Vizag but luckily we didn’t have to do much there. But here (Thiruvananthapuram) it was really wet. Even in the eighth over when Mukesh (Kumar) was bowling, there was a lot of dew.”
Despite the challenges, Krishna underscored the importance of adapting and overcoming such obstacles: “But this is part of the challenge of playing in India. As a bowling unit, we need to learn to tackle dew. It is really difficult but then we need to adapt to it. We were prepared, we knew that dew was going to play a huge role.”
Prasidh Krishna’s learning curve has been steep since his induction into the national team, with the wisdom imparted by more experienced teammates and coaching staff contributing significantly to his development. The spirit of learning and adaptation is a theme that runs through the Indian camp, which has been investing in the potential of its players to not only complement but also uplift the team’s collective performance.
As the series progresses, Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership, rooted in trust and support, and the team’s willingness to mature in the face of challenge paints a promising picture for Indian cricket. While the future engagements will undoubtedly test the cricketers on different fronts, the current wave of affirmative action helmed by a supportive captain ensures a robust foundation for the team’s ongoing and upcoming cricketing endeavors.