Gambhir gushes over Suryakumar Yadav's Wankhede 'masterclass' vs USA in dressing room: 'One of the best knocks...'

India registered a 29-run victory against the USA to begin their title defence on a positive note

Updated on: Feb 8, 2026, 19:24:09 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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India head coach Gautam Gambhir lavished praise on captain Suryakumar Yadav after his unbeaten 84 powered the defending champions to a hard-fought win over the USA in their T20 World Cup 2026 opener at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday. India registered a 29-run victory to begin their title defence on a positive note, with Suryakumar producing a 49-ball knock under pressure, the only half-century of the match.

India's head coach Gautam Gambhir with captain Suryakumar Yadav at the Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (PTI)

In a video shared by BCCI.tv on Sunday, Gambhir hailed Suryakumar’s innings in the dressing room, calling it a “masterclass”.

“It was a good result to start with, and Surya — that was a masterclass, outstanding. It was one of the best T20I innings played under pressure,” Gambhir said.

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On a tacky Wankhede surface, the USA bowlers stuck to tight lines and built relentless dot-ball pressure to rock India early. Opener Abhishek Sharma fell for a golden duck, and the hosts soon slumped to 77 for 6 inside the first 12 overs.

With the defending champions in deep trouble, Suryakumar took control of the innings. Batting with composure and authority, the captain counter-attacked when needed, striking 10 fours and four sixes to lift India to a competitive 161 for 9 in 20 overs.

The bowlers then backed up the effort, restricting the USA to 132 for 8 to seal the win.

Suryakumar, while pleased with the result, admitted the scare served as an important wake-up call for the side.

“Very, very happy with the way things went. It was a little bit of a scare and a hiccup in the first game, but it was a good eye-opener for me, the boys and the support staff,” Suryakumar said.

“I’ve played in similar situations before, so I knew staying there was very important. It was a difficult wicket, one we’re not used to, and we have to understand how we could have batted better. But that’s part of the game.”

India will play their next Group A match against Namibia in Delhi on February 12.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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