Ahead of the inaugural clash between India and Australia in the initial match of the five-match T20I series, Washington Sundar and Tilak Verma made a visit to seek blessings and engage in a ceremonial observance at Visakhapatnam's Simhachalam Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple on Thursday (November 23).
This routine of visiting temples before cricket matches isn't new for the Indian cricket team. In a similar fashion, earlier this year in January, players including Washington and Suryakumar Yadav visited Ujjain’s Mahakaleshwar Temple for prayers. Moreover, during the ODI series against Sri Lanka, the Indian team also visited the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.
IND vs AUS T20I Series Early Audition For T20 World Cup 2024
The upcoming 5-match T20I series against Australia serves as a preparation drill for Team India's readiness for the T20 World Cup 2024.
Suryakumar Yadav, stepping in for the injured Hardik Pandya, will lead the young Indian side. Ruturaj Gaikwad will serve as his deputy for the first three games, with Shreyas Iyer taking over for the final two matches. Speaking about the series and its significance in relation to the impending T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA, Suryakumar emphasised a selfless approach for the team's benefit. This series will also mark the return of Axar Patel for the first time since the Asia Cup. He was initially named in the World Cup squad but failed to recover in time.
"I think what I told them when I met them in the afternoon was let's be very selfless when we go onto the field. I am a guy who doesn't think much of personal milestones ahead of team goals. Hence, I told them to keep the team's interests first and then whatever comes after that, they can take their call. I have played with them a lot of times during the IPL and a few India games and they know how I function, and it wasn't that difficult to communicate my thoughts. We are excited about the series," Suryakumar stated ahead of the series opener against Australia.