Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Riding high on a historic triumph in Ahmedabad, India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav unveiled an ambitious blueprint: lead India at the 2028 LA Olympics, win gold, and defend the T20 World Cup title later that year in Australia and New Zealand.“The next goal is Olympic gold and also the T20 World Cup that year,” a jubilant Surya told reporters after India trounced New Zealand by 96 runs to become the first team to win back-to-back T20 World Cups.
Surya is not wrong to set a lofty standard for the current India team, which has produced unreal consistency in this format since he took over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma in 2024.Surya has impressive numbers as captain. Since taking reins after the 2024 World Cup, India have been the team to beat in the shortest format. Under Surya, India have played 52 matches, won 42 (including two in Super Overs) and lost only eight games, with two matches ending in no result.
Suryakumar Yadav of India interacts with the crowd following the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Final between India and New Zealand at Narendra Modi Stadium on March 08, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Prakash Singh/Getty Images)
The record under Surya is enviable, but with talent waiting in the wings, age not on his side, a poor run of form, and a cloud over his injured wrist, he may not be the right man to lead India into the future.Before the T20 World Cup, Surya’s form had nosedived. He had gone 23 innings without a fifty. In that period, his strike rate was below 120. But he bounced back in style at the right time just before the T20 World Cup, slamming three fifties in a five-match T20I series against New Zealand. He carried that form into the T20 World Cup, scoring a magnificent 84 off 49 balls in India’s opening match against the USA.After that, Surya again struggled with his form. In the tournament, he scored 242 runs in nine innings at an average of 30.25 and a strike rate of 136.72. He crossed 30 thrice – against Pakistan, the Netherlands and Zimbabwe – and looked shaky against quality spin in the middle overs.
AHMEDABAD, INDIA – MARCH 08: Suryakumar Yadav of India reacts during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Final between India and New Zealand at Narendra Modi Stadium on March 08, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
In Delhi against Namibia, he was undone by 35-year-old left-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz. On a double-paced surface at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Surya looked all at sea against Pakistan’s spin trio of Saim Ayub, Usman Tariq and Mohammad Nawaz. Surya’s 29-ball 32 took the momentum away after a fiery start by Ishan Kishan.In the next fixture against the Netherlands, he again halted things with a 28-ball 34. If not for Shivam Dube’s 31-ball 66 and lusty blows from Hardik Pandya, India could have been in danger as the margin of victory was only 17 runs.Against South Africa, Surya scored 18 off 22 balls during a painstaking stay at the crease. The Indian captain found his groove against Zimbabwe in Chennai with a fiery 33 off 13 balls. It was his second impactful knock of the tournament.
AHMEDABAD, INDIA – MARCH 08: Suryakumar Yadav of India reacts during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Final between India and New Zealand at Narendra Modi Stadium on March 08, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
In a virtual quarter-final against the West Indies at the Eden Gardens, he again faltered. His 16-ball 18 sucked the momentum out of a high-scoring chase.In the semi-final, on a belter at the Wankhede where balls were flying, Surya was stumped off Adil Rashid. This was the second time in the tournament that he was caught fishing outside the crease.In the final, when India were cruising at 200 in the 15th over, he decided to come out to bat instead of sending in an in-form Tilak Varma or Shivam Dube. However, his stay lasted just one ball as he went for a golden duck.
Poll
Do you believe Suryakumar Yadav should continue as India’s T20I captain?
Despite his batting failures, he became the third Indian captain to lead the side to a T20 World Cup crown, following in the footsteps of MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.With Jasprit Bumrah’s golden four overs, India will again go to LA 2028 and the next T20 World Cup as favourites, and that is a no-brainer. But Surya certainly may not be the right person to lead India at the Olympics and in the next T20 World Cup. India should thank Surya for his service and start preparing a blueprint under a new captain.
