India’s T20I skipper, Suryakumar Yadav, took a trip down memory lane as he returned to Eden Gardens, the home ground of his former IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), ahead of the first T20I against England on January 22. India is set to face England in a five-match T20I series, with the first match taking place at the iconic Kolkata venue.

Suryakumar, who began his IPL journey with KKR in 2014 and remained with the franchise until 2017, expressed his excitement about leading the Indian team at Eden Gardens, a place filled with fond memories. Reflecting on his time with the Kolkata Knight Riders, Suryakumar shared how important this venue is to his career.

In a video released by the BCCI, Suryakumar shared his thoughts, saying,

"When I came here the first time, people fed me a lot of 'Mishti Doi'. I ate that a lot and even today, whenever we come here and have space for a cheat meal, we add it after the meal. It's a vintage type feeling, it feels good when you come here. I still remember it was 2014 when I came to KKR for the first time."

Suryakumar further added,

"From then to now, obviously I never thought that I would be leading India after 10–11 years. But today to stand at this ground and think that I'm going to lead the team at this historic stadium, it's a great feeling. It has been a beautiful journey, and whenever I sit in the room, I think about those four years — 2014 to 2017 — it was a beautiful memory as I've learned a lot here."

Gautam Gambhir, who captained KKR during Suryakumar's tenure, played a significant role in shaping his early IPL career. Recalling his time under Gambhir’s leadership, Suryakumar stated,

"Gauti Bhai (Gautam Gambhir) was the captain at that time. I've played under him here and learned a lot of tricks and trades. So I know this place really well, and I am very happy to be back."