India’s T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav has admitted that he and his deputy Shubman Gill should have provided the team a better start, adding that the lineup cannot be dependent on Abhishek Sharma all the time,
after India slumped to a 51-run loss to South Africa in the second T20I in Mullanpur on Thursday.
Abhishek gave India a brisk start with 17 off eight deliveries, but early dismissals of Gill (0) and
Suryakumar (5) inside the powerplay put them on the back foot. Chasing a stiff 214 on a good batting pitch, India were bowled out for 162.The five-match series now stands at 1-1 with the third game scheduled in Dharamsala on Sunday, December 14.
“I think myself, Shubman, we could have given a good start because we cannot rely on Abhishek all the time. The way he has been batting, he might have an off day. Me, Shubman and a few other batters should have taken it,” Suryakumar said while speaking at the post-match presentation.
“I think it would have been a smart chase. But then it is okay, Shubman got out on the first ball. But I should have taken that responsibility, batted a little deeper. But as I said, we learn, we try and do better in the next game to come,” Suryakumar added.
Axar Patel was pushed up to No. 3 as a pinch-hitter, but his run-a-ball 21 offered little value in a high-scoring chase. Suryakumar, meanwhile, did not sound convincing when explaining the tactical move.
“We just thought in the last game that we had seen Axar bat really well in the longer format. So we wanted him to bat the same way today as well. But unfortunately, (it didn’t work) he did bat well,” Suryakumar said.
“But we will see what is up for us going on in the next game,” the Indian skipper added.
