SL vs IND 2021: Sri Lanka tour great challenge, looking forward to play under Rahul Dravid – Suryakumar Yadav

India’s batsman Suryakumar Yadav has stated that the Sri Lanka tour will be a great challenge for the whole team. Yadav, who is still young in International career, is also looking forward to playing under the guidance of Rahul Dravid for the first time in his career.

Yadav added that he has heard good things about Dravid and he will look to make the most of the opportunity of playing under the former Indian skipper. The right-hander from Mumbai added that Dravid is always calm under pressure. Rahul Dravid is well known to get the best out of the young Indian players and has played a key role in strengthening India’s bench strength.

“It is a great opportunity for everyone to have a tour amidst this situation (COVID-19 pandemic). It is a great challenge and responsibility for everyone to come out here and express themselves. The great thing is having Rahul sir around, we have heard a lot about him. This is my first tour with him but I have heard from many players that Rahul sir is very calm and composed when it comes to this role. I am very excited and looking forward to it,” said Suryakumar Yadav in a virtual press conference from Colombo on Tuesday.

On the other hand, Suryakumar Yadav had a good start to his International career as he scored a fifty in his second T20I. Yadav added that he will need to begin from scratch and believes there is no fun if there is no pressure to perform.

“I think that was a completely different challenge, for a batter, every time you go in and play a different game, you have to start from scratch. Here also I have to start from zero. That was a different series and this is a different series but the challenge remains the same. I have to go out there and perform in the same way I did. The pressure would be there, if there is no pressure then there is no fun. As I said, it will be a great challenge and I am really looking forward to it,” said Suryakumar Yadav said.

Yadav has performed consistently while playing for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League and he will look to deliver the goods for the national team. If the right-hander can grab his chances, he will make a case for himself in the T20 World Cup.

“I think it has been a great experience and a great learning experience as I have been a part of the setup for a long time. Every year, I have learnt something different from all my teammates. IPL is a great learning and till now, it is like a saying, every year I go in the tournament, I go home learning something new. It is a great learning process and it has helped me to gain a lot of experience.”

The first ODI between India and Sri Lanka will be played at R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium on 13th July.