New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar hailed captain Suryakumar Yadav’s ‘mature’ knock, which helped India secure a hefty victory against New Zealand in the second T20I that was played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on Friday.

The Former India captain also believes that Suryakumar’s return to form has given the Men in Blue a big boost ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, which commences on February 7.

India comfortably chased down the 209-run target, securing a 2-0 lead in the five-match series, thanks to a crucial 122-run partnership between the skipper and keeper-batter Ishan Kishan.

Gavaskar highlighted Suryakumar’s awareness and maturity in managing his innings, reflecting on his pacing. “Surya’s innings showed that he was aware of the situation. At one stage, he was 11 off 11 balls while Ishan was scoring freely. That shows the skipper’s maturity; he allowed the in-form batter to take charge while he got his eyes in and rotated the strike,” he told JioStar.

“After Ishan got out, Surya took the initiative and started hitting. Driving through the offside was a big plus because it showed he was looking to play straight. Eighty-plus not out was a fabulous innings and a big, big boost for India before the T20 World Cup,” he added.

The former India opener also commended Kishan’s return to the Indian team and emphasised the strong connection he has with Suryakumar, which was built during their stint at the Mumbai Indians.

“Ishan and Surya have played for the Mumbai Indians together, so they know each other’s game. When you travel and play together for more than two months, you develop a kinship. Ishan is a fun-loving guy and extremely popular in the dressing room. It’s great to see the team spirit because that’s what you want in tough situations,” Gavaskar noted.

–IANS

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