SKY: Home games always bring pressure but without it there’s no thrill in the sport

After defeating New Zealand 4-1 in a dominating performance in the T20I series at home, Suryakumar Yadav (SKY) and his band of warriors are now looking at an even greater prize. They are now looking to make history by becoming the first team to record back-to-back title wins in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to be hosted jointly by India and Sri Lanka.

The pressure undoubtedly is on the hosts but this bunch of cricketers has been fearless and bold in their approach. It has been a refreshing thought process which has helped them to surge to the top. Nevertheless, things may not be easy and skipper Suryakumar Yadav is alive to the equations as they chase history.

“Home games always bring pressure, but without it, there’s no thrill in the sport. Chasing a historic back-to-back World Cup win on home soil, no team has done it before, feels like a rewarding responsibility and positive pressure. With massive crowd support across venues, I’m excited, and the team shares that enthusiasm,” Yadav said on JioHotstar’s Amul Cricket Live show.

Tilak’s return to create selection dilemma

Hyderabad southpaw Tilak Varma has been an important cog in the wheel, and a lot will depend on how he comes back after the minor surgery he underwent recently.  Tilak’s availability and the opening slot are two issues which the team will have to sort out.

“Tilak Varma’s status remains uncertain. I’ve got to know that he’s batting well and looking sharp. His return would create a selection dilemma, as all 15 squad members are playing XI contenders. The final call on Ishan Kishan versus Sanju Samson for the opener role will be revealed on February 7,” said Suryakumar.

Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav

What could be India’s strategy going into the World Cup? “In high-risk T20s with explosive top-order batting, we need an extra specialist batter at No. 7 or 8. Our core bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, and Axar Patel, can deliver full 16 overs, providing a massive edge. Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube (2-2 overs each), and occasionally Abhishek Sharma offer flexibility, making a seven-batter plus all-rounder setup with an eighth batter ideal for the World Cup squad,” Yadav said.

SKY backs each player’s batting style and approach

The bold approach by the Indian batters is indeed turning out to be beautiful. And SKY, as Suryakumar is called, is emboldened by this approach. He is game to let each player discover and play to their individual styles. “Each player brings their unique identity, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson and all bat true to their style from state and franchise levels. I’ve encouraged them to stick with it: hit a six on the first ball if it suits, making on-field decisions based on pitch conditions. Their fearless approach has simplified my captaincy,” he said.

After a lull from his willow, the runs are again flowing in torrents, and SKY is keen on building further on ahead of the World Cup. SKY topped the batting charts by scoring 242 runs with three half-centuries in the five-match series.

The Mumbaikar became the fastest batter to reach 3,000 runs in men’s T20Is in terms of balls faced, surpassing UAE’s Muhammad Waseem, who reached the mark of 1,947 balls in the Asia Cup 2025 match against Oman. He also became only the third Indian after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to score 3,000 T20I runs.

“After the South Africa series break, I returned home, stored my kit bag, and took a complete 9–10-day rest. As the new year began, I resumed practice, reflecting on the previous year’s shortcomings, particularly my strike-rate in the initial overs. In 2021-23, I attacked from the first 5-10 balls at a strike-rate of 200-250; now, I settle in over the first 5-7 balls, doubling my strike-rate thereafter. This approach clicked from the very first game in Nagpur, building momentum that revived my form.”