India beat New Zealand by 48 runs as Suryakumar explains team balance

India has taken a 1-0 lead in the five-match series by defeating New Zealand by 48 runs in the first T20 match. This victory is a great relief for Team India captain Suryakumar Yadav ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. In the post-match presentation, Captain Suryakumar Yadav spoke about the team's strategy.

What did Surya say after the victory?

After the match, Surya said, "He said that playing with eight batsmen and three strike bowlers is proving beneficial for the team. I think it's looking good. It's working for me as a team, and if it's working, let's continue with it."

Captain Suryakumar Yadav emphasized the importance of scoring big runs. He said that even with the dew, it's a big positive. He explained that even when the team was 25/2 in the powerplay, the batsmen didn't give up and held the game until the 15th over. He said, "I think it's always good when we put those numbers on the board, and if there's a little dew on the board, I think that's a big positive. And the way we batted, even when we were under pressure in the powerplay, we were 25-2, and then we took the game to the 15th over, and then we didn't stop all the batsmen."

Statement on dropped catches

When asked about the dropped catches by the Indian fielders, Suryakumar didn't want to be too harsh on his players but emphasized the need for improvement. He said that some catches were dropped due to heavy dew, but he supports his fielders. He said that they constantly try to improve in this department and always strive to do better on the field. He expressed his happiness with the players' efforts.

Suryakumar said, "I think with so much dew, a few lines here and there, I mean, I'm just backing my fielders. But yes, we keep improving in that one department. We always try to improve whenever we step onto the field. So, I'm very happy with the boys' efforts."