Following India’s dominant 72-run win over Zimbabwe in Chennai, captain Suryakumar Yadav offered a candid assessment of his team’s defensive effort. While pleased with the win, the 35-year-old leader admitted that the bowling unit could have performed better during the second innings. He noted that while the target was massive, his bowlers needed to display more tactical awareness to contain the opposition more effectively on the Chepauk surface.
We could have been a little smarter: Suryakumar Yadav after India's crushing win over ZIM
Despite the loss, the Indian captain was quick to credit Zimbabwe for their spirited approach to the record-breaking chase. He specifically highlighted the performance of Brian Bennett, who anchored the visitors' innings with a brilliant, unbeaten 97 off 59 balls. Bennett’s knock ensured Zimbabwe reached a respectable 184/6, continuing his streak of exceptional form and proving that the visitors were unwilling to go down without a fight.
“To be very honest, we could have been a little more clinical with the ball. But at the end of the day, a win is a win, and we’ll take it as we move forward. We’ll definitely tighten a few screws when we go and play the West Indies cricket team. I don’t want to take any credit away from the Zimbabwean batters,” Suryakumar said at the post-match presentation.
“I think they batted beautifully. Yes, the wicket was good, but the way they approached the innings – taking their time in the powerplay and then accelerating smartly – was impressive. Credit goes to them as well. From a bowling point of view, though, we could have been a little smarter with certain options at key moments,” he added.
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'Our video analyst had prepared a slide for all the batters and bowlers'
After suffering a painful defeat against South Africa, Suryakumar revealed that the team’s video analyst provided a comprehensive 'performance slide' to both the batting and bowling units to help the Men in Blue return to winning ways. This detailed breakdown focused on the errors made during their defeat to South Africa, allowing the players to objectively review their tactical missteps.
By studying these insights, the squad was able to arrive in Chennai with a renewed sense of clarity and a positive mindset. The captain emphasized that this analytical approach helped the players move past the previous setback and execute their roles with much greater conviction against Zimbabwe.
“I think we wanted to leave everything behind. We didn’t think too much about what we did in the league stage or in the last game in Ahmedabad. Our video analyst had prepared a slide for all the batters and bowlers, highlighting what we’ve done well over the past year. We looked at that, took a lot of positivity from it, and came here with clarity. With contributions from the top order right down to number seven, I think there was hardly anything missing in our performance,” he concluded.
India will now travel to Kolkata for their final Super 8 showdown against West Indies. This high-stakes match is scheduled to take place on March 1 at the iconic Eden Gardens. With both teams fighting for survival, the clash serves as a virtual knockout; the winner will secure a spot in the semi-finals alongside South Africa, who have already qualified from Group 1.