"We will do better than last time" - Team India star makes big statement ahead of AUS vs IND 2025 T20Is

Team India star and T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav made a huge statement ahead of the series against Australia. The Men in Blue will play a five-match T20I series Down Under, beginning Wednesday, October 29.

The last time they played the format in Australia was during the 2022 T20 World Cup. They made the semi-final but suffered a ten-wicket defeat against England. Suryakumar Yadav reckoned that the team would perform better during the bilateral series this time around.

"I feel we will do more well than the last time. Teams have gone there for different formats but I think we haven't gone for a T20 series after 2022. We do play on almost similar type of pitches in India as well. There are many venues there and we keep playing regularly. There are no different preparations as such," he said in an exclusive conversation with journalist Vimal Kumar.

The right-hander reflected that it would be a different challenge and an opportunity to play in Australia as a captain. While he stated that his mindset as a player was to do well and win games for the country, there will be more responsibility as the leader this time around.

"I never thought I would go to any country as a leader. I thought I want to play for India, do well, win championships, this was my goal. But now this is a new opportunity, another responsibility to do well. Australia is always a different challenge. We have gone and played once in 2022. I think it will be a good challenge and good fun," he added.

India lost the three-match ODI series 1-2. The Men in Blue will aim to bounce back in the upcoming T20I series.

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Team India T20I captain reflects on his knock against South Africa in the 2022 T20 World Cup

When India played South Africa during the 2022 T20 World Cup in Perth, Suryakumar Yadav played a brilliant knock despite the team's defeat. The Men in Blue were reduced to 49/5 and got to 133/9 courtesy of his half-century.

He had scored 68 runs off 40 balls, including six boundaries and three sixes, with a strike-rate of 170. Reflecting on that knock, he said:

"It was a great challenge. We were 35 or 40 for five. That season my batting was on a different level. My confidence was on a different level, it is now too, but that was something different. I had scored runs before as well. I like bouncy pitches a lot and you can hit your shots there. I was excited and we had prepared as well."

They will hope for their skipper to bat similarly this time around and lead from the front throughout the series.