Ahmedabad, Dec 19 (NationPress) Following India's impressive 3-1 T20I series victory over South Africa with a 30-run win in the fifth match, captain Suryakumar Yadav acknowledged that his batting form had eluded him during the series. However, he expressed his commitment to return stronger in future matches.

Throughout the series, Suryakumar recorded scores of 12, 5, 12, and 5, raising significant questions about his performance ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup. Nevertheless, he conveyed satisfaction with India’s overall performance in T20Is this year, despite not scoring a single fifty.

“Perhaps the only element we couldn't quite manage was locating ‘Surya the batter’. I believe he went missing somewhere! But he will return with greater strength. As a team, I am genuinely pleased. Whenever we encountered difficulties, someone always rose to the occasion and helped us prevail. As captain, that brings me immense satisfaction,” he stated during the post-match presentation.

Reflecting on the team's strategy during the series, Suryakumar emphasized the importance of consistency and intent. “From the outset of the series, our goal was to adhere to a specific style of cricket, and we succeeded in doing so. We refrained from altering our approach,” he noted.

“We aimed to showcase our skills in every aspect, and the results speak for themselves. This was something we felt was lacking in our previous series. This was the exact style we intended to adopt; once a player gets going, they maintain momentum. We aimed for that relentless drive, and it worked beautifully today,” he added.

Suryakumar also discussed the strategic deployment of Jasprit Bumrah and commended Washington Sundar for his outstanding bowling performance at the start. “Yes, we intended to implement a different strategy. The plan was to utilize Bumrah for one over during the powerplay, manage the middle phase post-drinks, and prepare him for the death overs.”

“Washi performed exceptionally today and took on responsibility. We faced pressure at times, and we were challenged, but this game is about how you react, and the boys did remarkably well. It has been a challenging yet rewarding series. We accomplished almost everything we set out to do,” he concluded.

South Africa's captain Aiden Markram remarked that chasing a target of 232 always necessitates near perfection, but believes the experience gained from this T20I series will be invaluable for their World Cup preparations.

“Chasing 232 required near-perfect execution. Quinny and the top three set a solid foundation for us, and we were in the contest. However, we struggled to maintain momentum during the middle overs,” he explained.

“Nonetheless, there are many lessons to be learned as a team. With several World Cup matches scheduled here, I’m confident this experience will be beneficial. It was challenging, indeed. We faced tough questions,” he added.

When asked if they gained clarity about their World Cup squad, Markram affirmed, “Absolutely. Early in the series, we conducted various experiments – testing different combinations, assigning players to various roles, and determining how to maximize everyone’s potential.”

“Now, we have numerous answers. As we head into the World Cup, our plans will be more structured. Whatever we do will be with the singular goal of giving ourselves the best chance to lift that trophy.”