Indian cricket captain Suryakumar Yadav emphasised entertainment value over rivalry when discussing India-Pakistan cricket matches on Saturday. He focused on delivering quality cricket for the packed stadiums.“At that time, I don’t know, I didn’t play (laughs), so I can’t say, but if we talk about rivalry, I don’t know what rivalry you are talking about. I just feel that the stadium is full and when the stadium is full, I tell my team and everyone that it’s time for entertainment and people have come to watch the match, so you have to entertain and entertain everyone, let’s play some good brand of cricket,” Suryakumar told reporters.Ahead of another Asia Cup clash against Pakistan on Sunday, Yadav acknowledged the challenge of managing external pressures before crucial matches.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!During the previous match, Yadav, who scored 47 not out, did not shake hands with Pakistani captain Salman Ali Agha at the toss or after the game.His decision was a gesture of solidarity with victims of the Pahalgam attack, dedicating the victory to the Indian Armed Forces. This action caused tension with the neighbouring country before the Asia Cup Super 4s clash. When asked about handling external pressures, Yadav shared his perspective on managing distractions.“Close your room, switch off your phone and sleep. I think that’s the best thing. It’s easy to say, but sometimes it is difficult because you meet a lot of friends, you go out for dinner, and you have a lot of players who like to see all these things so it’s very difficult,” he added.“It’s on you what you want to listen to, what you want to have in your mind and go on and have a practice session or go on and have a game.”
The captain emphasised the importance of team focus during the tournament.“I have been very clear with all the boys, I think it’s very important if we want to do well this tournament and going forward, we will have to shut a lot of noise from outside and take what is good for you. I am not saying shut the noise completely, but take what is good for you and someone can give you a good advice as well which can help you in the game and on the ground,” he further explained.When questioned about the team’s previous performance and the no-handshake policy, Yadav diplomatically redirected the conversation: “By other things, you mean we bowled well, isn’t it?”Regarding match preparations, Yadav expressed confidence in the team’s readiness after three games, adding, “I feel our preparations have been really good leading into the tournament and we had three good games also. So we are actually focusing on what we can do best.”The captain downplayed the importance of winning the toss in the hot and humid conditions: “We will have to start well from scratch, and whoever plays well will win the game.”
