23 July,2026 09:04 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure
Suryansh Shedge. Pic/BCCI
As Shreyas Iyer still searches for his first T20I match win and series success as captain as India take on Zimbabwe in a three-match T20I series, beginning in Harare on Thursday, his Mumbai Ranji teammate and all-rounder Suryansh Shedge will be hoping to play a crucial role to help him achieve that.
Suryansh's father Prashant insists his son will overcome challenges at the international level given his strong mindset.
Shedge, 23, made his T20I debut against Ireland last month, scoring one and conceding 25 runs in his two overs of medium pace at Belfast. In his second game, against England, he scored seven and went wicketless in his three overs at Southampton recently.
"There will be ups and downs in this journey. In a situation where he has to bat at No. 7 or No. 8, the success rate can be low. That's a strong challenge he must overcome. Obviously, it's a process and he has to work hard continuously. He has to contribute as much as he can in whatever role he gets; it's his job to give his 100 per cent," Shedge Sr told mid-day on Wednesday.
After the UK tour, Shedge spent a couple of days back home at his Bandra residence before heading for Zimbabwe. During this time, Prashant offered him some valuable advice.
"Suryansh is very confident of his abilities. We also have a lot of confidence in him. The thing is, when you reach such a big platform, everyone's expectations increase. These players learn from that experience. This process will continue.
"We have to turn off the outside noise and focus on our work. This is what I told him," Prashant said, recalling Suryansh's IPL 2026 innings (29-ball 57) for Punjab Kings against Gujarat Titans at Ahmedabad.
"We knew his capability and everyone saw it when he got a chance to bat in the ninth over with Punjab Kings struggling at 47-5 against Gujarat Titans in IPL. Now, he has got just two chances [against Ireland and England] where he came in to bat in the 19th over, and had no option but to hit. So, it's a wait and watch, till he gets an early batting opportunity. He must grab that opportunity. In bowling too, he's working hard. While many people have worked on his batting, he has managed to develop his bowling on his own. So, that's a work in progress," Prashant added.
