Shivam Dube praises Suryakumar Yadav (Source: @ABHISTRONG/x.com)
With each passing day, the T20 World Cup 2026 is inching closer, and the defending champion India is shining in its best form. Just when doubts around captain Suryakumar Yadav’s form grew louder, the second T20I against New Zealand emphatically silenced critics.
While chasing down the total, captain Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 82 sealed a dominating victory. Reflecting on the victory, Shivam Dube shared his satisfaction on captain’s exciting performance.
Shivam Dube lauds SKY for his match-winning masterclass
Since Suryakumar Yadav took charge of Team India’s side, the Men in Blue reached the peak of success. Even though the team was riding high, the captain’s recent form in the shortest format was a massive concern. Just before the T20 World Cup 2026, when the concern was rising high over the SKY's form, he delivered it just on time.
Facing New Zealand in the second match of the five-match T20I series, SKY silenced all the critics with his exceptional knock. With an unbeaten knock of 82, he secured a thrilling triumph.
The world saw it in the last match, but Dube predicted it before when he was asked about the captain’s lean patch. Reflecting on Surya’s fiery performance, the Indian all-rounder Shivam Dube hailed his brilliance in the shortest format.
“First of all, I remember that I was asked in a previous press conference about Surya (Suryakumar Yadav)’s form. I said then that Suryakumar Yadav is such a player — when he’s in form, the world knows what he’s capable of. So today, he reminded everyone why he is the number one T20 batter. I enjoyed that a lot,” Dube said.
SKY’s masterclass fuels India’s commanding triumph
After securing a thrilling victory in the first match, Team India eyed a chance to keep their domination alive, and the captain, Suryakumar Yadav, led the way from the front. After the Kiwis put on a challenging total on the board, India needed 209 runs to register another victory.
Batting in the second innings, Team India faced an early slump, but Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav’s exceptional partnership turned the tide. After Ishan walked away, scoring 76 runs, Team India needed a boost, and captain SKY took the charge.
Scoring a fiery fifty in 23 balls, he tightened his grip, and the opponent bowlers faced the heat. A crucial 81-run stand then laid the foundation for India’s dominant victory. With questions swirling around his form, he answered in style, smashing an unbeaten 82 off 37 balls, packed with nine boundaries and four towering sixes.
Dream form just when it’s needed
After ending a long ICC trophy drought in 2024, Team India lifted the T20 World Cup trophy, and since then, the Men in Blue have been riding on their dream form. Since the historic victory, they played eight T20I series and didn’t face a single defeat.
The upcoming edition promises to be extra special as India and Sri Lanka gear up to co-host the tournament. On home soil, Team India is one of the strongest force and their red-hot form in the shortest format is giving them the desired edge. With that, fans are expecting high from the defending champions.
