Abu Dhabi: India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has urged his side to stay composed and “shut out the noise” ahead of their eagerly awaited Asia Cup Super Fours contest against Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday.
Suryakumar said the key to handling the hype was to focus on rest and clarity.
“Close your room, switch off your phone and sleep,” he laughed, before turning serious. “It’s not always possible to block everything — you meet friends, go out to dinner, people want to talk cricket — but you must choose what you let into your head. Take what is good for you, leave the rest.”
The stylish right-hander, leading India after the retirement of Rohit Sharma, praised his team’s ability to grind out a win against a spirited Oman outfit. He also took time to interact with Omani players at the request of their assistant coach Sulakshan Kulkarni, signing autographs and wishing them luck for the T20 World Cup Qualifiers.
“Credit to Oman, they played fearless cricket. It was nice sharing thoughts with them; they have great energy,” Suryakumar said.
On questions about the build-up to the Pakistan encounter, he played down the tension. “Match is in 24 hours, yaar (buddy)! Who has time for build-up?” he grinned, likening his relaxed manner to senior pro Rohit Sharma. When asked if the famed India–Pakistan rivalry was the same as in 2003, he replied, “I don’t know, I wasn’t there. But when I see a full stadium, I just tell the boys it’s time for entertainment.”
The press conference also touched on the so-called “no-handshake” episode from the last India–Pakistan match, which had triggered debate online. “Baaki cheezein? What is that, bhai?” Suryakumar joked, bringing laughter to the room. To a follow-up on whether India would “do the same” again, he said with mock seriousness: “By doing the same, you mean with the ball, right? Then fine. It’s an intense contest. You put your best foot forward for the country and enjoy.”
Shifting focus to cricketing matters, Suryakumar lauded the preparation of spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who was rested against Oman. “He bowled 8–10 overs in nets yesterday, and even today in warm-ups he looked ready. I had to remind him he was sitting out! That’s his strength — preparation.”
Asked if India were approaching the “business end” of the competition, he dismissed the suggestion: “Business end? Arre, it has just started!”
India, who top the Super Fours table after wins over Bangladesh and Oman, will face Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday evening, with both sides eyeing a spot in the final.
