Indian opener Abhishek Sharma gave credit to captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir for backing his fearless batting approach after success in the Asia Cup. Sharma top-scored with 314 runs in seven matches of the tournament at an average of 44.86 and a strike rate of 200 and was awarded Player of the competition.

The left-hander gave blistering starts to the team throughout the continental tournament, barring the final when he was dismissed after scoring five runs against Pakistan at Dubai on Sunday.

“I have never felt that this is a pressure match. We have prepared all the matches equally. Because of the way I have been playing. I felt like Surya bhai and GG ji have given me confidence because when you want to play like this [brand of cricket], you have to go up and down,” Abhishek said after being named player of the tournament.

The youngster revealed he has the team’s backing to go on an all-out attack from the get-go, irrespective of the results.

“Obviously, if you want to play at such a high risk, then there are failures. But the way they handled me at that time, the way they [Gambhir and Suryakumar] talked to me at that time, I think because of that, especially to play like this because it is very important, that you have such support with the team.”

Sharma lauded Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership and said the Indian captain is the same, regardless of his personal form.

“Since I have joined the team, even when he scores 100, he will still laugh like that, he talks to everyone like that. Even if he is out early, he leads everyone together. So I feel, this is the best quality of his I have seen. I also want to learn this because in T20 especially, you keep going up and down. But you have to make a balance, how to stay with the team, Enjoy everything.”

India will next take on the West Indies in a two-match Test series at home.