Indian cricket team fans had their hearts racing as they saw T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav bowling the 20th over of the match against Sri Lanka, who needed just 6 runs to win the match. Suryakumar, who had not bowled a single over in the match until that moment, bowled the final over of the 3rd T20I and gave away just 5 runs, forcing the match into Super Over. As Surya's final-over heroics, with the ball, went viral, fans also hailed head coach Gautam Gambhir, saying a new era has started.
With Ramesh Mendis and Kamindu Mendis in the middle, Sri Lanka only needed 6 runs to chase down the target of 138 runs against India on Tuesday. Suryakumar, however, pulled a rabbit out of his hat. Here's how the over went:
Suryakumar's Last Over
Ball 1: Dot
Ball 2: Kamindu Mendis Out
Ball 3: Maheesh Theekshana Out
Ball 4: 1 Run
Ball 5: 2 Runs
Ball 6: 2 Runs
Many fans on social media also credited Gautam Gambhir, with the former Kolkata Knight Riders mentor being credited with successful bowling experiments made in the team, including the decision to bowl Rinku Singh in the 19th over.
India's Comeback Victory
"More than the last over, I feel when we were around 30/4 and 48/5, how the boys showed character in the middle and took the game away from them ... I felt 140 was a par score on that track. When we were going in during fielding session I told them, 'I have seen such kind of games. If we put our heart in for one and a half hours, we can pull it off.'
"If you are enjoying hitting 200-220s and winning games, you should enjoy 30/4 and 70/5 as well because that creates balance in your life and that's how you move on and just be humble. The amount of skill they have, the self-confidence that they bring to the table, it makes my job very easy. The positivity they have on the ground and in the dressing room, the care for each other what they show is unbelievable," he said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
With India completing a 3-0 series sweep in T20Is, the focus now shifts to the ODI series.
Gautam Gambhir's First Assignment as Head Coach
India head coach Gautam Gambhir threw a word of caution in his first on-camera speech in the Indian dressing room after starting his coaching stint on the perfect note with a 3-0 clean sweep in the T20I series against Sri Lanka. The three-match T20 series in Sri Lanka was India's first under coach Gambhir and new captain Suryakumar Yadav as India officially entered into a new phase in the shortest format of the game. Both Gambhir and Surya came out in flying colours.
India won the first two T20Is comfortably. There were moments when the Sri Lanka top-order put them under pressure but the way the Indian spinners came back every time, triggering a collapse, was commendable. But it was the third match in Pallekele on Tuesday that painted the true picture of Team India's tough character.
India's Tough Character
Chasing 138 to win on a tricky surface, Sri Lanka were coasting at 110/1 in 15 overs when the Indian spinners started to pull things back. Despite India's choke, Sri Lanka kept their noses in front courtesy Kusal Perera. The hosts needed only 9 runs off 12 balls with six wickets in the bank.
That is when Surya pulled a rabbit out of his hat by throwing the ball to Rinku Singh. Bowling for the first time in international cricket, Rinku gave away just three runs and got a couple of wickets, including the all-important one of Perera.
Surya's surprises did not end there. India's premier pacer Mohammed Siraj had one over left but he decided to bring himself into the attack for the last over to exploit the conditions that offered turned to the finger spinners. It turned out to be a great move as Surya struck twice and stretched the match to the Super Over, where India prevailed.
"Guys, congratulations on a great series win. Congratulations to Surya as well, outstanding captaincy and with the bat as well. I asked for something before the start of the game and you absolutely delivered it. "This is what happens when you keep fighting, (and when) you don't give up," Gambhir told the team in a dressing room chat shared by BCCI on 'X'.
"These kind of games happen and the only way these key games can happen (in favour) is when we keep fighting on every delivery and for every run and this was the example."
Gambhir, however, urged the team to keep working on improving collectively on turning tracks which posed a different challenge to the batting group in particular.
"We keep getting better, we keep improving our skills as well because we still need to get better on playing on wickets like these, because we might end up getting these kind of wickets (in future).
"So we should first assess the situation and conditions really quickly and what is the par score as well," he said.
A New Era in Indian Cricket
"Some of the guys will not be a part of the 50-overs format will have a longer break, so make sure when you come back for the Bangladesh series...you can take a break. You absolutely deserve it, but more importantly, keep your skills and especially the fitness levels high."
"You don't want to come for that series thinking that 'okay, I can just turn up, probably deliver for the team'. So make sure that from the fitness point of view, the fitness levels are right up there," he said.
Notably, Hardik Pandya will not be in the ODI squad as he had asked for a break from the 50-over format due to personal reasons. Gambhir did not take any names, but the BCCI made it clear that Hardik will only be considered for the ODIs if he proves his fitness indomestic cricket.
The Indian cricket team is now looking forward to the ODI series against Sri Lanka, which will start on Friday. This series will be a good opportunity for India to test their new players and build on their recent success in the T20 format. It will also be interesting to see how Gautam Gambhir continues to shape the team and whether he can continue to inspire them to achieve more success in the future.
The New Faces of Indian Cricket
The rise of new players like Rinku Singh and Yashasvi Jaiswal is a testament to the depth of talent in Indian cricket. These young players are eager to prove themselves and make their mark on the international stage. They are a sign of the exciting future that lies ahead for Indian cricket.
The Future of Indian Cricket
With a new head coach and a new captain, the Indian cricket team is looking to the future with confidence. They are determined to build on their recent success and continue to dominate the world stage. The future of Indian cricket is bright, and the fans are excited to see what the future holds for the team.
