India head coach Gautam Gambhir talks to captain Suryakumar Yadav. (AP photo) NEW DELHI: India head coach Gautam Gambhir has heaped praise on T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav and said his calm leadership has eased the pressure on him during the ongoing Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!In a video clip shared by Star Sports, Gambhir highlighted how Suryakumar’s man-management approach transformed the dressing-room atmosphere. “Surya has made my life a lot easier in this format. He is a phenomenal leader of men,” Gambhir said, stressing that the captain’s impact goes far beyond his batting.
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The former India opener emphasized that Suryakumar’s greatest strength lies in how he connects with his teammates. “Not by what he does on the field, not by how he is as a batsman, but by how he treats the players, how he talks to them, how he spends time with the players,” explained Gambhir, adding that the captain’s relaxed presence provides a calm environment that “any coach can dream of.”India opened their campaign with a win over the USA, where Suryakumar led from the front with a match-winning 84 off 49 balls after an early top-order collapse. The performance reinforced Gambhir’s belief that the 35-year-old thrives under pressure.“For me I think Surya is a player that I can keep aside but Surya is a leader, for me I think he has ticked every box. He is just a phenomenal leader…” Gambhir said. “It’s great to have someone like him leading the country because his heart is in the right place and he makes the right decisions, especially when things are under pressure.”India will now look to build momentum when they take on Namibia on Thursday.
