‘If you see, till the final...’: Kohli's 'leadership' role in T20WC win outlined in Suryakumar's 'powerhouse' remark
Suryakumar Yadav, who made his international debut under Virat Kohli's captaincy, asserted that he was the leader of the pack on his own during the T20 WC.
Flamboyant India batter Suryakumar Yadav opened up on the unmatched energy Virat Kohli brought on the field and how his individual performances never impacted his intensity on the field. Kohli bid adieu to T20Is after his match-winning knock in the T20 World Cup finale. He was going through a lean patch before the Proteas clash with the bat, but it never brought his energy level down while fielding and gave his best. He was also proactive in the team huddle in every match and was seen advising the skipper and bowlers with his insights into the game.
Suryakumar, who made his international debut under Kohli's captaincy, asserted that he was the leader of the pack on his own during the T20 World Cup.
"He is a powerhouse of energy on the ground, irrespective of his performance. If you see, till the final, things didn’t go as he wanted to but the way he carried himself on the field… He was taking part in team get-togethers, practice sessions, everything. He was a leader in his own way," Suryakumar told Indian Express.
Kohli also brought a fitness revolution to the Indian team during his captaincy, and as a result, the Men in Blue have become one of the best fielding units in the world. The batting maestro has often talked about his discipline and dedication to his fitness, which made him a role model for his teammates.
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Kohli also pushed his batting partner to bring their A-gam to the table as Suryakumar also talked about how the other batter must always be on his toes while batting alongside him.
"In 2022, when I made my debut, I did most of the batting with him during the bilateral series and then the World Cup. I realised then that if I have to bat with Virat Kohli, I have to match his fitness because he takes two quick runs by pushing a ball in the gaps and then he slams a four," Surya added.
The 33-year-old further revealed that he cherishes working out in the gym alongside Kohli.
"I had told the strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai to keep my training time along with his. Because sometimes there are days when I don’t feel like training or my body is tiring or mentally I’m not ready. So by watching him those 40 minutes will pass by in the gym," he concluded.
