India captain Suryakumar Yadav says everybody is happy for the sport in opposition to Pakistan. Picture: AFP/file
AHMEDABAD:
Captain Suryakumar Yadav mentioned gold in 2028 on cricket’s return to the Olympics was India’s subsequent huge goal after extending their T20 domination with back-to-back World Cup titles.
Co-hosts India hammered New Zealand by 96 runs within the closing in Ahmedabad on Sunday to be the primary group to retain the T20 world crown and first to win it thrice.
It was additionally the primary time a group have received the title on house soil, and so they did it with a model of fearless, attacking cricket.
“It has been very particular,” Suryakumar instructed reporters at a celebratory midnight press convention, as followers throughout the nation flooded into the streets.
“And positively the subsequent objective is Olympics, Olympic gold and in addition the T20 World Cup that yr.”
Los Angeles 2028 will see cricket return to the Olympics for the primary time since 1900.
Led by then captain Rohit Sharma, India received the T20 World Cup two years in the past in Barbados for his or her first main title because the 2013 Champions Trophy.
Rohit and fellow stalwart Virat Kohli retired from the shortest format after the ultimate in opposition to South Africa and Suryakumar took over as captain.
“I feel that drought led to 2024 after a very very long time and from there we by no means appeared again,” mentioned the 35-year-old.
“We performed a distinct model of cricket in 2024 and from there we understood how this group must work (going) ahead.
“And it has been a beautiful journey since then.”
Suryakumar added: “We wished to do one thing particular in entrance of the house crowd. We wish to proceed doing that… and by no means cease.”
India received the 50-over World Cup in 2011 at house beneath M.S. Dhoni, who led the group to a T20 World Cup within the inaugural version in 2007.
After that was a comparative drought within the greatest occasions by India’s sky-high requirements.
Two-time World Cup winner Gautam Gambhir, who succeeded Rahul Dravid as coach after the 2024 World Cup win, desires to carve out his personal legacy.
“I do not consider in inheriting something, I consider in creating one thing,” mentioned Gambhir, who has not at all times been universally fashionable with followers and pundits because the coach.
“And hopefully we have created one thing which most likely all of you guys may very well be happy with, that the sort of model of cricket we have performed.”
