The captain-coach duo of Surya and Gambhir recently guided India to Asia Cup 2025 title.
India’s T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav has shared insights into his close working relationship with head coach Gautam Gambhir, describing it as one rooted in brotherhood, trust, and shared understanding.
Suryakumar was handed India’s T20I captaincy after Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the shortest format last year. While the dashing right-hander is not among the team's top run-scorers, he has led from the front, guiding India to victory in the 2025 Asia Cup and a near-flawless run in bilateral series.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Suryakumar said his bond with Gambhir has been key to India’s consistency and clarity in T20Is.
Surya also explained how his equation with Gambhir has evolved from their early days at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the national setup.
“Our relationship is that of elder and younger brothers. I played for four years under him at KKR. Learnt a lot from him there. Even now, life has come full circle. He is the coach and I am the captain of the T20 team,” Suryakumar said.
“So when we discuss squads, a lot of the time, it happens that he picks an eleven, and I pick an eleven; there are absolutely no differences. On the ground also if I want to make a decision, I look at the dugout. You see things differently from outside, and he just moves his head a bit, and I get the message. That is the trust we have between us. Touchwood, it’s going really well,” he added.
Before his rise as one of the most explosive T20 batters, Suryakumar played under Gambhir’s captaincy at KKR between 2014 and 2017. Back then, he was used as a finisher, a role that helped shape his temperament and game awareness.
“Being fearless on the ground and listening to everyone on the field when they want to do something — because he did it when he was captain,” Surya said, reflecting on Gambhir’s influence on his leadership style.
Suryakumar Yadav will next lead India in the five-match T20I series against Australia, slated to begin on October 29 in Canberra.