India skipper Suryakumar calls on side to embrace the pressure in home World T20 final

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/india/fcOzl2uI/"]India[/a] are bidding to become the first team to retain the T20 ‌World Cup title, and to achieve that, they will ‌have to deal with not just a strong [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-zealand/G6PWlrQB/"]New Zealand[/a] XI but ‌also the weight of expectation from a cricket‑mad nation of ‌about 1.4 billion people.[/p][p]Leading the team in the final of a home World Cup was a "special feeling", and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/yadav-suryakumar/jik1yPzM/"]Suryakumar[/a] said they were looking forward ‌to the challenge.[/p][p][b]"There are nerves, butterflies in the ⁠stomach, but as I always ‌say - if there's no pressure, there's no fun," Suryakumar told reporters on ​Saturday.[/b][/p][p][b]"I'm very excited. All the boys and support staff, and I'm sure all of India is excited for ​tomorrow."[/b][/p][embed guid="c45501e1-3ecc-4366-98c7-b52b564643b7" url="https://x.com/BCCI/status/2029938521054794140" social-type="twitter" /][p]More than 100,000 predominantly home fans are expected to fill the world's largest cricket stadium, where [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/australia/OxG0JfXg/"]Australia[/a] famously beat India in ⁠the final of the ​50-overs World Cup three years ago.[/p][p]Expectations are mounting again as India also try to become the first host to win a T20 World Cup.[/p][p]Suryakumar said they try not to talk about cricket and ‌the presence of "characters" like [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/singh-arshdeep/f9Pl38e1/"]Arshdeep Singh[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/patel-akshar/nkmFJGY8/"]Axar Patel[/a] keeps the dressing room atmosphere light.[/p][p][b]"It's very important to have such characters around, because when the situation is tight, you need someone to joke around in the bus and in the dressing room, to calm the dressing room," said Suryakumar.[/b][/p][p][b]"We do not talk about cricket-intense situations because players, like Axar, Arshdeep, ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bumrah-jasprit/lx2sGNBc/"]Jasprit[/a]) Bumrah - all these people, they know what to do.[/b][/p][p][b]"We want to be very relaxed, be ‌in the present, not think about what will happen in the ​final."[/b][/p][p]Suryakumar said as captain, he had also resisted the ‌temptation to be the 'big brother' in the dressing room and encouraged individuality.[/p][p][b]"I feel a good team culture is very important. A happy team atmosphere is the key," he added.[/b][/p][p][b]"Give them freedom, listen to their ideas as well about what they ⁠feel.[/b][/p][p][b]"I think it is very ⁠important to understand what ‌everyone wants in the team."[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/cricket/india-fcOzl2uI/new-zealand-G6PWlrQB/?mid=rkrfMtJF"]Follow the game with Flashscore.[/a][/p]