Suryakumar Yadav has had to face the emotional blow of being sacked as India's T20I captain and not even being in the team for two years. But he felt he was ready to lead the team.
Suryakumar's captaincy had been a record breaker. He had India unbeaten in a series for two years and won a host of major titles (2026 T20 World Cup, Asia Cup). He was also the third Indian captain to take the country to a T20 World Cup title and so it was a bit harder for him to understand why he was removed from the captaincy.
The batter revealed that he had expected to continue at the helm as India prepared for several important challenges. His plans included the 2028 Olympics, another T20 World Cup and other major assignments that could have extended his leadership journey well into the future.
Suryakumar spoke to Aakash Chopra on his YouTube channel and explained what he did when he came to realize that his name wasn’t part of India’s plans. Instead of anger, he said he smiled and the smiling and being relaxed had helped him to cope with difficult situations throughout his career.
Suryakumar said he genuinely believed that he was preparing to take the Indian team forward for another two years. The possibility of being removed in 2026 had not occurred to him, particularly after the successful run under his leadership.
The numbers show how effective his captaincy was. Suryakumar led India in 52 T20 internationals and won 42 of those matches. His win percentage was 80.76 per cent, which speaks to the consistency of India during his tenure.
Despite disappointment, Suryakumar also said he does not harbour any grudges for Shreyas Iyer who has now taken over the captaincy. The two players are in the same locker room and Suryakumar was very impressed with Iyer as a cricketer, leader and person.
His concern was more about the timing of the decision than the identity of his successor. Suryakumar wondered why a good leadership combination needed to change when India had been winning as a team. He spoke of the team’s Asia Cup and T20 World Cup wins as proof of the success that he achieved as captain.
Suryakumar was particularly frustrated for the team that hadn't lost a series in almost two years. He had admitted that his IPL campaign had not gone as well as he had hoped but he may have felt that his overall leadership record should have been more important.
The 35-year-old also revealed he spent around one and a half months processing the decision. He always wondered how such an event could have happened so soon after India had won the World Cup. His friends and family offered sympathy but he admitted that the issue continued to occupy his thoughts when he was alone.
The selectors had advised him about their decision just before the selection day a few days before the team announcement. The selectors asked him about the IPL season and told him that it was time to move forward, Suryakumar said, and they referred to the IPL season and said it was time to move on. He did not react aggressively to the selection talk in the conversation because he thinks selection decisions are made with the team’s best interest in mind, he said.
Suryakumar’s comments illustrate the distinction between his captaincy record and his batting. He was a leader who got results but his batting had been under the microscope for a while, especially heading into the 2026 season. His IPL performances were a topic of conversation among the selectors.
However, the former captain does not want to walk away from international cricket. Suryakumar said he is available for India and wants to continue playing. When the team management thinks the circumstances are good he will be back.
Suryakumar’s comments suggest that even though he lost the captaincy and his place in the team, he is still driven to work for Indian cricket. His great captaincy record, big tournaments won, and his desire to represent India in the long run ensure that his future is going to be one of the most closely watched topics in the cricket world for years to come.
