‘Smart’ touch for Super challenge

Captain Surya backs Abhishek & Tilak, says batters must be able to adapt to tricky tests

- SWAROOP SWAMINATHAN

kumar Yadav (L) with head coach Gautam Gambhir | PTI

IN the lead up to the T20 World Cup — and during the entirety of the group phase — the Indian broadcaster kept running an ad centering around the team’s chances of making 300 on a particular day.

They could have just spoken to Suryakumar Yadav who would have politely asked them to remove the ad.

“We do have expectations of making 220-240-250 but the wickets are a little different here (during the World Cup),” the Indian captain said during the pre-match press conference ahead of the game against South Africa. “The four wickets we have played on so far were a little different and challenging. Off-spinners were not bowling earlier but are now.”

The Indian captain has a way in press conferences. His smile, always at the ready, seldom leaves him even when answering tricky questions. One-liners are summoned every now and then. And wit is often deployed to cut the tension of a question. To one Abhishek Sharma question, Yadav said: “I worry for the people who are worried about Abhishek’s form.”