NEW DELHI: Suryakumar Yadav on Thursday shared a key lesson he learned from Rohit Sharma, emphasizing the importance of maintaining balance, especially in challenging times.
According to Surya, Rohit’s philosophy centers on staying grounded, even when things aren’t going your way. Rohit has taught him that life balance is essential, helping players handle losses and setbacks without getting overly emotional.
As India’s T20I captain following the World Cup triumph, Surya acknowledged adopting ‘Rohit’s captaincy route’ of dedicating substantial time with teammates away from the cricket field, believing it enhances their performance during matches.
Naturally, he has ‘customized’ this approach to align with his own leadership style and requirements.
“Winning and losing is part and parcel of sports. Everyone has done hard work. Sometimes you do well and sometimes you don’t,” said Surya, on the eve of the first T20I against South Africa in Durban, when asked about India’s 0-3 defeat against New Zealand.
“I have learnt from him (Rohit) that in life, balance is important, after doing well, even if you lose, your character should not change. This is one quality sportsman should have,” Surya added.
In Surya’s perspective, Rohit transcends the role of a captain and embodies true leadership qualities.
“A leader is one who decides how his team plays a particular format,” said the world’s top T20 batter.
Having shared the dressing room for Mumbai’s Ranji team and Mumbai Indians in the IPL for nearly ten years, Rohit’s leadership approach has significantly influenced Surya.
“When I am on the ground, I keep noticing him. How his body language is and how he keeps calm and how he treats his bowlers, how he speaks to everyone on and off the field. I know how he treats his players, what he wants from them.
“That route I have also taken as he has been successful. Obviously, I have put my own masala in it (his own ideas). It’s been going smooth,” he laughed.
Strong interpersonal relationships and camaraderie among team members play a vital role in fostering effective on-field coordination and performance.
“From a leader, you expect how much time one spends with his guys to build that comfort level. I also try that with my boys. Even when I am not playing, I try to hang out with players, have a meal with them, little things done off the field reflect on the on-field performance,” the Indian skipper said.
Comprehending players’ mental state and emotional well-being is crucial for maximising their potential performance, according to his assessment.
“You have to understand what’s happening around and what’s going on in their minds. There needs to be a comfort level as they have different types of skill sets. The freedom to express themselves is very important and I am trying to give them that.
“Whatever is on their mind, I listen carefully and I try and spend a lot of time with them to understand, who can deliver for me under pressure and in crunch situations,” the skipper said.