IND VS SA T20I: Suryakumar Yadav gives bold verdict on Abhishek Sharma

India captain Suryakumar Yadav accepted full responsibility for the team’s defeat in the second T20I of the five-match series against South Africa. Speaking after the match, he admitted that India cannot continue to rely solely on in-form opener Abhishek Sharma to deliver winning starts every time.

India had chosen to bowl first, but their frontline pacers — Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah were off their mark, allowing South Africa to post a daunting 213/4. In response, the Indian top order collapsed. Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar, and Hardik Pandya all fell cheaply, and despite a valiant effort from Tilak Varma, India were dismissed for 162 in 19.1 overs.

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During the post-match presentation, Suryakumar admitted that opting to bowl first backfired and the team failed to adjust quickly enough.

“Maybe we should have batted first. We started with the ball but couldn’t do much. They figured out the right lengths quicker than us,” he said.

Calling the defeat a part of the learning curve, Suryakumar stressed the need for better adaptability.

“It’s a learning process. If things aren’t working, we need a plan B. We saw how they bowled in the second innings, and we’ll try to take those lessons into the next game.”

He also acknowledged that the batting let the team down and held himself and Gill accountable.

“Myself and Shubman should have provided a solid start. We can’t depend on Abhishek every time. He’s been batting brilliantly, but he can have an off day. The rest of us should have taken more responsibility. It could have been a smart chase.”

The skipper emphasised that the team will look to correct its mistakes and come back stronger in the upcoming matches.