Suryakumar Yadav boasts his modesty on being appointed to lead the Indian T20 team
Suryakumar Yadav, with his extensive leadership experience from domestic and international cricket, has been appointed as India’s T20I captain for the series against Sri Lanka
This marks a significant shift in Indian cricket following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from T20Is. Suryakumar, who previously led India in T20Is against Australia and South Africa post the 2023 ODI World Cup, brings a wealth of leadership experience. In a clip shared by Star Sports from 2023, Suryakumar discussed his captaincy approach, emphasizing the importance of simplicity and staying true to oneself. He mentioned enjoying his new role, highlighting the familiarity and strong rapport among the team members, which aids in understanding each other’s strengths and weaknesses. His mantra for success revolves around being process-oriented and encouraging teammates to maintain authenticity. At 33, Suryakumar will lead a 15-man squad in the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, starting on July 27 in Pallekele.
Shubman Gill, who recently captained a second-string Indian team to a T20I series victory in Zimbabwe, has been named vice-captain for both T20Is and ODIs. Following the T20I series, India will face Sri Lanka in three ODIs in Colombo under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy. Notably, Jasprit Bumrah has been rested after a demanding season, while the return of Virat Kohli for the ODIs adds an extra layer of excitement and anticipation. Despite being a strong contender, Hardik Pandya missed out on the vice-captaincy due to injury issues, having sustained an ankle injury during last year’s ODI World Cup. He returned to the IPL, captaining the Mumbai Indians instead of Rohit Sharma. Suryakumar’s leadership experience includes captaining Mumbai in domestic cricket, which adds to his credentials. The squad for the T20I series includes Shubman Gill (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Riyan Parag, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, and Mohd. Siraj.
[ImageSource: InsideSport]
