‘Surya gave me advice’: Shreyas Iyer reveals Suryakumar Yadav’s advice ahead of England series | Cricket News
New Delhi: Team India, led by new T20I captain Shreyas Iyerwill begin the next leg of their UK tour with a five-match T20I series against England, looking to bounce back from a disappointing tour of Ireland.India faced Ireland in the two-match T20I series as favorites, but lost 0-2. This is Iyer’s first assignment as T20I captain and he will now look to turn things around when India take on England in the first match at the Riverside Stadium, Chester-le-Street on Wednesday.Looking back on the Ireland series, Iyer admitted that the team did not get off to the start they wanted, but he believes there are many lessons to be learned.“It’s definitely not the start we wanted but there’s a lot to learn, going into new conditions and most of the players are playing in England and Ireland for the first time so it’s a learning curve for them as well. And we also have to build a camaraderie where everyone starts to support and trust each other and that will only happen as we play more games,” Iyer told BCCI.tv.
“Want that fearless approach”
With the England series underway, Iyer wants his team to play fearless cricket and put pressure on their opponents.“I just like to be a threat to the opponents. When I step on the field, I want to have an aggressive, fearless attitude. I want my unit to unite around the mentality that the opponents are a little intimidated by our personality and our performance on the field. That’s what I want everyone in the team to be thinking about because when I step on the field, it’s like a war for me. I want to win every game and that’s the mentality I want everyone to imbibe to represent the country and hopefully we challenge the opponents as well,” Iyer said.The 31-year-old also said that despite India’s success in the last T20 World Cup, the team is starting a new journey.“I think Goldie Bai mentioned in an interview that we are world champions. It’s a new paragraph, completely starting from me being the leader of the team and us starting from scratch again,” he said.
As per suggestions of Rohit and Surya
Iyer also spoke about the support he has received Rohit Sharma and former T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav.Iyer replaced Suryakumar as India’s T20I captain after Suryakumar led the team to another T20 World Cup title. However, the decline in batting form and the selectors’ long-term plans led to a change in leadership.“Interacting with Rohit Sharma is like you are just chatting with your brother. He is the kind of character who helps me in my family business as well. So it is always easy to interact with him,” Iyer said.“And Suryakumar Yadav, also has a similar character. I played a lot of domestic cricket with him and just before coming here, he gave me information about how the management would be, how the players would be in this particular situation. So, yeah, definitely good interaction and learning a lot at the same time,” he said.
Iyer pays heartfelt tribute on Doctors’ Day
Iyer also paid tribute to the doctors who helped him recover from a serious injury sustained during the 2025 tour of Sydney, Australia. The injury left him with a ruptured spleen and internal damage that required emergency medical care.On Doctors’ Day, the India captain thanked the medical team who helped him return to cricket.“An injury makes you realize how quickly life can change. I am extremely grateful to the doctors and medical team who helped me regain health, strength and the sport I love,” Iyer said.He said: “They have been by my side during one of the most challenging phases of my life. Dedicating my second birthday to healthcare professionals is my tribute to those who have made my comeback possible.”
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