India ready to defend title after strong New Zealand series

India's 4-1 series win over New Zealand could hardly have been more convincing, as they fine-tune preparations for the fastly approaching ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

India, co-hosting the tournament with Sri Lanka, have all-but implemented the final touches of their preparation and will go into the tournament sky high on confidence.

Suryakumar Yadav, who will lead India in a major ICC event for the first time, is satisfied with both his personal form and that of the team.

But despite winning in the fashion that they did against the Black Caps on numerous occasions, the skipper also stressed that there were learnings and they will be applied heading into the tournament proper.

"We’re feeling happy, it’s always good to get runs when you’re leading a side, you want to lead by example," Suryakumar said after an innings of 63 during India's game five victory over New Zealand.

"And I think (last year) it was the same story, I was just out of runs but feeling really good, in a good mental space, and happy with what’s happening around the team.

"As a team, things have been going really well. But, as I always say, when we win, we also try and learn something from it and try and improve in the next game or in the next series in which we play.

"But these five games were good prep before we start a (T20) World Cup campaign and me and the boys are very excited for the World Cup."

Suryakumar has the luxury of batting alongside immensely talented pair Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma at the top of India's order. All of them displayed their destructive best at stages in the series with New Zealand.

Kishan slugged a monster 103 off 43 balls to lead his side towards the nation's third-best batting total in T20Is.

"I think we always knew what Ishan Kishan brings to the table," Suryakumar continued.

"We (saw) how he played in the domestic cricket just before this series. We always wanted him to bat the same way, not change his identity, irrespective of if he’s opening (or not)."

"But we wanted him to be a game-changer and whenever he took the field, or with the bat, the way he batted in all the games, I think he’s given a strong statement and I really enjoyed batting (both) with him and also with Abhishek Sharma since game one.

"Both of them, together, completely take the opposition out of it and the pressure is less on the middle order and the finishers."

The T20 World Cup begins on February 7.