Team India captain Suryakumar Yadav recently revealed the players who impressed him the most with their mentality during India’s T20 World Cup 2026 win on home soil. Suryakumar said that three experienced players continuously supported his leadership decisions throughout the tournament.
India registered a 96-run win over New Zealand in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 8. Batting first, the host team scored a huge score of 255-5. New Zealand struggled during the chase and never looked close to the target and were eventually bowled out for 159.
I do not want to take away any credit from the youth – Suryakumar Yadav
Speaking in an interview with PTI, Suryakumar Yadav said that although the young players performed well, he relied on experienced players like Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya. He also expressed his gratitude for their strong support during his captaincy.
“I don’t want to take away any credit from the youngsters. But the way Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya supported me and did everything throughout the tournament was commendable. They were always there for all the prayers.”
Video | PTI Exclusive: Indian T20 cricket team captain and two-time ICC T20 World Cup champion Suryakumar Yadav (@surya_14kumar), when asked about the players who influenced him the most in terms of mentality, he said, “I don’t want to take away any credit from the youngsters. But the way… pic.twitter.com/MoBoV9Yad5
– Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) 16 March 2026
After the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, Team India will play the next home series against Afghanistan. The Men in Blue may look to test their bench strength during the home series.
Hardik Pandya and Akshar Patel gave important performances
Hardik Pandya played an important role in India’s T20 World Cup victory. He scored 217 runs in nine matches at an average of 27.12 and a strike rate of 160.74, which included two half-centuries. Hardik also took nine wickets at an average of 32.33 and an economy rate of 8.81, with his best figures of 2/16.
In the final, Hardik scored 18 runs on 13 balls and took one wicket for 36 runs. Meanwhile, Axar Patel also played an important role in the tournament.
Akshar took 11 wickets in seven matches at an average of 18.63 and an economy rate of 8.20. In the final, he dismissed Finn Allen, Glenn Phillips and Daryl Mitchell to finish with figures of 3/27. His performance showed that leaving him out against South Africa earlier was a big strategic mistake.
Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav shine in India’s victory
Whenever captain Suryakumar Yadav needed a breakthrough, Jasprit Bumrah performed well. He finished as the joint-leading wicket-taker in the T20 World Cup with 14 wickets at an average of 12.42 and an economy rate of 6.21.
Bumrah bowled excellent death overs against England in the semi-finals. After this, he dominated the New Zealand batsmen in the final and took four wickets for 15 runs in four overs.
Suryakumar Yadav scored 242 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 136.72, including one half-century, and finished as India’s fourth-highest run-scorer. The Men in Blue became the first team to win consecutive titles in the tournament. India also became the first team to win the T20 World Cup on home soil.
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