Suryakumar Yadav-led Team India beat England by seven wickets in the opening T20I of the five-match series in Kolkata on Wednesday, January 22. Basit Ali applauded the Indian T20I captain for the way he led the team as well.

Talking on his YouTube channel ‘Basit Ali,’ he said, “The way Arshdeep was moving the ball, he dismissed two batters in the first two overs. Pandya was the most expensive. All other bowlers completed the plans. They were supported most by Suryakumar Yadav. When he gave Arshdeep the third over, I said ‘Wow, this is captaincy,'”

“When you are playing against a good opposition, one decision can change the game. Arshdeep also became the bowler (Indian) with most T20I wickets – 97 leaving Chahal behind,” he further added. “I was listening to Deep Dasgupta’s commentary. When the match hadn’t even started when England came to bowl he told what a captaincy. I was astonished. I said captaincy? There is a leg-slip, short-leg, and slip as well. The batters had not even touched the ball yet.”

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While he lauded Suryakumar Yadav for his captaincy, Basit Ali also praised India coach Gautam Gambhir for instilling a mentality to play fearless cricket within this young Indian T20I team as well. However, he also stated that while England coach Brendon McCullum was seen
entering the field twice during the game, Gambhir was calm as well.

“When ten overs of England’s batting were over, McCullum came inside the ground. He came after ten overs of India’s batting as well. Gautam Gambhir did not come today. I was looking at the way he was talking in the huddle before. Today he will sleep well. After loosing two series there was lot of talk around him,” he said in the same video.

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“Gautam has given a pen and paper to this young team. Why? No one will tell you this. When the target is 133, I have seen very less people play fearless cricket. That theory, Gautam has given to this young team. They have scored 260-270 in South Africa. But I was astonished today because it was the second innings. The plan from Gautam is clear. Now it has to be seen whether the senior players deliver this plan in one-day cricket or not. What I have noticed is that Gautam has made one thing clear. Whether it is the first innings or second, we have to score 250 plus. They are playing in the same style,” Basit Ali concluded.