Suryakumar Yadav, India’s middle-order batter, aptly described his hurricane knock in the first T20I against Australia as “fearless” and expressed his pride in leading the country to victory on his captaincy debut. Yadav’s blistering 42-ball 80, coupled with his 112-run partnership with Ishan Kishan, enabled India to chase down Australia’s massive 208 for 3 with just two balls to spare, securing a thrilling two-wicket victory on Thursday.

Yadav’s performance in this match stood in stark contrast to his contribution in the World Cup final against Australia on Sunday, where he managed only 18 runs as India succumbed to a six-wicket defeat. However, playing in his favorite format and leading the side in the absence of an injured Hardik Pandya, Yadav transformed into a menacing force, smashing four sixes and nine boundaries to overshadow Josh Inglis’s 50-ball 110 and help the hosts take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

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When asked to describe his game in one word, the self-proclaimed ‘Mr. 360 degrees’ cricketer responded with “fearless.” The skipper also heaped praise on Ishan Kishan for his crucial role in the team’s pursuit of the daunting target. Kishan’s 39-ball 58 following the early dismissal of opener Ruturaj Gaikwad provided a solid foundation for the gutsy chase.

“I think, he (Ishan) helped me really well. For me to be fearless, him staying there and his knock was very important,” said Suryakumar Yadav, whose strike rate of 190.47 played a pivotal role in the chase.

Rinku Singh, with his unbeaten 22 off 14 deliveries, provided the finishing touches to India’s victory.

“I think he (Rinku) was very calm, though it was a pressure situation. When he came in to bat, he was very calm and the composure which he showed, I think, that was great to see,” Yadav told the BCCI. Addressing the tense atmosphere in the dressing room after witnessing Australia’s 200-plus total on the board, the skipper admitted, “Little bit. Itna experience nahin hai dressing room mein (there isn’t that much experience in the dressing room) but all the boys were excited.

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“When they saw the score on the board, they only said one thing, ‘if we win this game it will be truly enjoyable’. Very proud to lead the country and very happy to contribute in my first game as captain. Looking forward to the next game and how it goes,” added Yadav.