Suryakumar Yadav echoes BCCI's philosophy, stresses Indian players must embrace domestic cricket: 'Back to their roots’

Suryakumar Yadav stated that spending time in domestic cricket helps players stay connected with the game.

In recent years, a renewed focus on domestic cricket has seen Indian players being pushed back into the local circuit, with the BCCI urging them to stay match-fit even during international breaks. Their regular participation has added star power, intensity and higher standards to domestic tournaments, significantly boosting their profile and competitiveness.

Suryakumar Yadav underlines value of domestic cricket for India’s internationals. (AP)

India’s T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav highlighted the growing importance of domestic cricket in shaping modern-day cricketers, stressing how reduced international schedules are pushing players to reconnect with their grassroots and strengthen their fundamentals.

“With fewer international fixtures, players are spending more time in domestic cricket — in a way, it’s taking them back to their roots. It’s important to play domestic cricket whenever possible," Suryakumar told reporters ahead of the first T20I against South Africa.

He further stated that spending time in domestic cricket helps players stay connected with the game, constantly learn, and develop their skills, making it an essential part of their growth and overall development.

“Many players go back, stay in touch with the game, and there’s always a lot to learn. It’s a very important part of their development," he added.

India’s upcoming T20I series against South Africa marks the formal start of their preparations for the big February tournament. The team will play a total of 10 matches — five versus South Africa followed by five against New Zealand — ahead of their title-defence opener against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium on February 7.

“We don’t want to change too much combinations”: Suryakumar Yadav

As defending champions, India aim to approach this phase with a clear plan, using the series to fine-tune player roles, test combinations, and finalise the XI that will shoulder the high expectations of home fans. This period will be crucial for building momentum, ensuring team balance, and reinforcing strategies to start the tournament strongly and maintain their champion status.

Meanwhile, Suryakumar emphasised stability in team selection, stating the focus remains on playing the style of cricket they aim for rather than making frequent changes to combinations.

“We don’t want to change too much in terms of combinations. The focus is on the type of cricket we want to play," he said.