Suryakumar Yadav Discusses Leadership Lessons Ahead of T20 World Cup Final

As India gears up for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final against New Zealand, captain Suryakumar Yadav shares valuable insights on leadership influenced by Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir. He emphasizes the importance of focus and preparation over reacting to opponents. With the goal of defending their title at home, Yadav's reflections highlight the team's strategic mindset. Read on to learn more about India's preparations and squad details ahead of this crucial match.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 8, 2026, 02:15 IST

Suryakumar Yadav Reflects on Leadership and Strategy

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], March 7: Ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final against New Zealand, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav spoke about the significant impact of former captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir on his leadership approach.

During a pre-match press conference, Yadav expressed how he has absorbed valuable lessons from Rohit Sharma, who has led India to two ICC white-ball championships. He stated, “It wasn’t challenging. I learned a lot from Rohit while playing under his captaincy. I adopted similar strategies, drawing from Gauti Bhai’s experience, which has proven to be effective. I’ve played a lot of cricket alongside Rohit, and I’ve tried to incorporate some of my own ideas into our game plan.”

As the team prepares for the final, Yadav acknowledged the importance of focus and preparation, rather than merely reacting to the opposition. “Everyone is thrilled to play in the final tomorrow. New Zealand is known for their tactical approach, but we have our own strategies. We’ve been gearing up for this significant event, and our focus will be on executing our plans rather than worrying about what others think of us. We just need to play good cricket,” he added.

Team India is set on defending their title at home, aiming to become the first team to win a T20 World Cup in front of their home fans.

Squads:

New Zealand Squad: Tim Seifert (wicketkeeper), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner (captain), Cole McConchie, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Devon Conway, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy.

India Squad: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav.