‘Secure, welcoming, willing to adjust’: Dale Steyn hails Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership as India embrace flexible T20 blueprint | Cricket News
NEW DELHI: India’s new T20I template may be built on aggression, but former South Africa fast-bowling legend Dale Steyn believes its real foundation lies in Suryakumar Yadav‘s secure and flexible captaincy, one that makes players feel backed enough to adapt for the team’s needs.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Speaking on JioStar, Steyn said a captain who isn’t insecure about his spot or authority breeds a dressing room where players feel encouraged to put the team first.
“You’re not threatened by your spot or by the captaincy. You put the team first and ask: ‘What’s best for the individual? What’s best for the team?’” Steyn said.Calling Surya “secure, welcoming, and willing to adjust for the greater good”, Steyn highlighted how the skipper’s willingness to move between No. 3 and No. 4 shows leadership through action, not commands.
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“If he tells someone, ‘You can’t bat at three today, I need you at six,’ the batter understands because the captain has backed him before. That flexibility brings out the best in your players,” Steyn added.The sentiment aligns with head coach Gautam Gambhir‘s philosophy of dynamic, situation-based roles rather than fixed batting slots, a shift team India has experimented with since the start of the series in South Africa.Complementing India’s evolving approach is the comeback of Hardik Pandya. Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa said the all-rounder’s return makes India instantly more dangerous, adding balance that India rarely has.Hardik smashed a 28-ball 59 and dismissed David Miller in the series opener.“He is an out-and-out match-winner, integral to India’s success at the World Cup. He brings balance no one else offers,” Uthappa said, noting India seldom fields two pace-bowling all-rounders, with Shivam Dube alongside Hardik.
