Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes Suryakumar Yadav’s fluent 22-ball 32 in the first T20I against New Zealand helped lift a major weight off the Indian skipper’s shoulders after a prolonged lean patch. Coming into the series, Suryakumar had been under pressure, averaging just over 13 across his previous 21 innings, but Ashwin felt the timing, intent and freedom in his knock were far more important than the final score.

India cruised to a 48-run win in Nagpur to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, powered by explosive efforts from Abhishek Sharma (84 off 35 balls) and Rinku Singh (44 not out off 20). While Glenn Phillips (78) and Mark Chapman (39) briefly threatened during the chase, India’s bowlers tightened the screws to restrict New Zealand to 190 for seven.

Speaking on his YouTube channel Ash ki Baat, Ashwin said Suryakumar looked completely at ease at the crease and stayed true to the team’s aggressive philosophy rather than chasing personal milestones.

“It’s a monkey off the back. A lot of people were talking about Surya’s form, but in T20 cricket you don’t need to chase consistency in the traditional sense. What I liked was how he got those runs. He looked in great touch. If he wanted, he could have slowed down and gone for a fifty, but that’s not this team’s mindset. They want to keep scoring and keep hitting. He looked in his element, and that’s a big positive,” Ashwin said.

Notably, it was only the third time in Suryakumar’s last 20 innings that he crossed the 30-run mark.

Ashwin also hinted that the current combination could be India’s blueprint for the upcoming T20 World Cup, stressing that Arshdeep Singh should not be rotated out. He labelled the left-arm pacer a “marquee bowler” who must remain an automatic pick.

“There may be discussions around adding another bowler depending on how Shivam Dube’s bowling progresses, but he bowled three overs today, which shows they are backing him. This looks like the combination going forward,” Ashwin added.

On Kuldeep Yadav missing the opening T20I after a tough ODI series against New Zealand, Ashwin described it as a chance to regroup rather than a setback.

“I’m a big fan of Kuldeep. Sometimes you need a break to reflect. In T20 cricket, you have to build a strong unit. If you don’t have someone like Jasprit Bumrah, you balance it with batting depth. Ideally, I’d like to play Bumrah, Arshdeep, Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep together, but if the balance works like it did today, it’s absolutely fine,” he said.

India piled up 238 for seven after New Zealand opted to field, with useful cameos from Hardik Pandya (25 off 16) adding to the onslaught. Jacob Duffy and Kyle Jamieson picked up two wickets each for the visitors.

Despite a fighting partnership between Phillips and Chapman, disciplined spells from Varun Chakravarthy and Arshdeep Singh ensured India stayed firmly in control to seal a convincing victory.

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