Suryakumar Yadav has been removed as India's T20I captain, and sources say he is likely to be removed from the team too. The decision is a big loss for the dynamic batter who was appointed just a year ago after Hardik Pandya's injury and Rohit Sharma's retirement from the format.
The move comes after a long lean phase for the 35-year-old. The No. 1 T20I batter in the world, Suryakumar has failed to reproduce his explosive form in recent series. His strike rate, once his greatest weapon, has dropped drastically and team management is growing increasingly worried about his consistency.
Leadership Struggle Short-Lived
Suryakumar had been handed T20I captaincy ahead of the series against Australia in late 2025 and the selection team believed in his aggressive approach and tactical wisdom. But the results didn’t come. India lost two consecutive T20I series under his mentorship and his batting performance was much below what was expected.
In the last ten T20I innings, Suryakumar has managed only one half-century, averaging just under 22. Only a couple of knocks along with not delivering have made it difficult for the team to justify him purely as a batter, especially with younger players knocking on the door.
What is going to happen? The selectors will soon name a new T20I captain in the future with names such as Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya (if he is fit) in their minds. For Suryakumar, it is going to be a long road back. He will need to contend with domestic cricket or the IPL to get back into the national picture.
As the heart of India's T20 batting team, Suryakumar Yadav is on the brink of the toughest phase in his international career -- out of the captaincy and fighting just to stay in the team.
