India captain Suryakumar Yadav says powerplay overs and Bumrah’s impact will shape Australia series.
Canberra
India captain Suryakumar Yadav on Tuesday said the powerplay overs will play a decisive role in the upcoming five-match T20 International series against Australia, beginning here on Wednesday. He asserted that Jasprit Bumrah’s presence during that critical phase gives India a significant advantage.
“Powerplay is always important. We’ve seen how Australia play aggressively in that phase,” Suryakumar said at the pre-series press conference. “Bumrah always raises his hand to take responsibility. He’s that guy who takes charge early.”
Bumrah, the most experienced member of the T20I squad in Australian conditions, has been India’s strike weapon for years. “He knows how to prepare for these conditions. Everyone in the team looks up to him and benefits from his inputs,” Suryakumar said.
The skipper also hinted that all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who missed the final ODI due to a quadriceps injury, could return for the T20I series. “He’s recovering well and even batted in the nets. He looks good,” he said.
Calling the series a continuation of India’s preparation for next year’s T20 World Cup, Suryakumar said the team will retain its balanced combination of pacers, all-rounders and spinners. “We’re not treating this as a foreign tour. It’s part of our World Cup build-up,” he noted.
He emphasised that India are working hard on improving their fielding, acknowledging recent lapses. “Intent and effort matter more than perfection. We want to be the best fielding unit in the world,” he said.
Describing team selection as a “good headache”, Suryakumar said depth in all departments allows flexibility. “The goal is simple — to win for India, whatever the combination,” he added confidently.
