Suryakumar Yadav is not willing to accept any suggestion that India are the runaway favourites in the Asia Cup.
“Kisne bola? (Who said?),” he asked with a laugh at the news conference in Dubai
on Tuesday.
When told that has been the chatter on social media for a long time, Surya responded: “I haven’t heard of it. But you have played in this format and you know how your preparations are. If your preparations are good, then you will be very confident when you take the field.
“We are playing T20 as a team after a long time. But we were here three-four days back, had some good time together as a team, and we are really looking forward to this tournament.”
The India T20 captain was possibly trying to stay clear of any overconfidence in the run-up to the tournament. A good record here will serve them well in the run-up to the T20 World Cup in February.
Asked who among Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma would make the cut in the playing XI against the UAE on Wednesday, Surya was again guarded.
“I will message you the whole team sir,” he laughed and then, in a slightly serious tone, added: “We are taking good care of him (Samson). Don’t worry, we will take the right decision tomorrow (Wednesday).”
It was sharp and cheeky from the India captain, who seemed to be in great spirits.
Early indications at nets have suggested that Jitesh could be the first-choice wicketkeeper while Samson may have to sit out.
Former captains Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri have, however, suggested that Samson should be part of the playing XI. Gavaskar felt he could bat lower down the order, maybe at No. 5, while Shastri has said Samson should continue to open the innings.
Samson has been in good form, smashing three centuries in India’s last 10 T20Is.
At the start of the interaction, Surya was asked about the heat in Dubai, to which he playfully replied: “I think it’s pleasant. I am not feeling the heat.”
There were compliments for his new hairdo, too, but he brushed them aside. As were suggestions of a change in the team: “Why should we, when everything is working?”
He didn’t seem to be bothered by the fact that India played their last T20I on February 2. “Most of them had a good IPL,” he said.