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Gautam Gambhir is renowned for his innovative cricket strategies. From placing five close-in fielders for MS Dhoni to opening with Sunil Narine, his tactics have often been unconventional yet effective.


However, what transpired at Pallekele Stadium on Tuesday was beyond imagination. Two of India's most destructive T20 batters secured the match, but with their bowling skills!

The Indian team delivered a stellar performance to push the 3rd T20I against Sri Lanka into a Super Over. With 137 runs on the board, Sri Lanka were favourites. When they needed 23 off the last four overs with eight wickets in hand, many thought India had lost, except for those on the field and perhaps the coaching staff.

Washington Sundar took two wickets in the 17th over, but Khaleel Ahmed's 12-run over in the 18th seemed to seal Sri Lanka's win. With nine needed in the last two overs and only pacers left, Suryakumar Yadav turned to Rinku Singh.

Rinku bowled his first T20I over and second international over overall. He picked up two crucial wickets and conceded only three runs in the penultimate over. Kusal Perera was dismissed while slogging, followed by Ramesh Mendis being caught in the deep.

Suryakumar Yadav's Bold Move

As the final over approached, Sri Lanka needed six runs with four wickets in hand. Suryakumar Yadav made an unthinkable decision by bringing himself to bowl instead of frontline pacers Mohammed Siraj or Khaleel Ahmed.

Suryakumar dismissed Kamindu Mendis on the second ball and then Maheesh Theekshana. With six needed off three balls, Chamindu Wickramasinghe managed a brace each on the last two deliveries, leading to a Super Over.

The Decisive Super Over

Suryakumar Yadav and possibly head coach Gautam Gambhir made another masterstroke by introducing Washington Sundar to bowl. Sundar picked up two wickets in consecutive deliveries as Sri Lanka were bundled out for just two runs. Suryakumar then batted and swept towards fine leg on the first ball. A misfield led to a boundary, sealing India's whitewash victory.

Despite being known for their batting prowess, both Suryakumar Yadav and Rinku Singh showcased brilliance with the ball. Sri Lanka collapsed in the final overs while Indian players displayed immense grit under pressure.

India coach Gautam Gambhir will be thrilled with this performance, given how his team responded amid adversities. This victory marks a strong start for the Gautam Gambhir-Suryakumar Yadav era in T20 cricket with three consecutive wins. It remains to be seen if they can replicate this success in the upcoming ODI series starting from August 2.