Suryakumar faces scrutiny over his batting form despite leading India to T20 World Cup triumph.
Rumours are rife that Suryakumar Yadav will soon be removed as India's T20I captain due to an extended lean patch. Earlier this year, he led the Men in Blue to a record third T20 World Cup title win but failed to live up to the expectations with bat in hand.
Suryakumar, who couldn’t score a T20I half-century last year, smashed 49-ball 84* in India’s campaign opener against the USA. However, his form faded again as the tournament progressed. He ended the global showpiece with 242 runs in 9 innings at an average of 30.25 and a strike rate of 136.72.
The 35-year-old carried his poor form into the IPL 2026, where he scored 270 runs in 13 innings at a low average of 20.77 for the Mumbai Indians (MI).
Amid the speculations, former BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad has thrown his weight behind Suryakumar Yadav, citing that dropping a player of his stature from the T20I setup would be a massive mistake.
“There are very few batters in world cricket capable of playing 360-degree cricket as naturally as Suryakumar Yadav. His ability to access unconventional areas of the field makes him nearly impossible to bowl to once he settles.
“Whether it is scoops over fine leg, inside-out lofts over cover, or flicks behind square off good-length balls, Suryakumar brings a skillset that very few Indian batters possess. In T20 cricket, uniqueness matters more than textbook batting. India already has technically sound batters. What India cannot easily replace is a batter who can score at a strike rate of 180-plus against quality bowling attacks,” Prasad wrote in his Cricbuzz column.
Prasad emphasized that Suryakumar possesses a unique, highly impactful skillset that makes him indispensable to a T20 team, even during temporary slumps in form.
“Form may fluctuate, but players with Suryakumar’s skillset, leadership qualities, and match-winning ability are extremely rare,” he added. “At his best, he completely changes the momentum of a game within 20 balls — something very few players in the world can do consistently. Players with that level of impact deserve a longer rope because match-winners cannot be judged purely on temporary dips in form.”
Instead of removing him, MSK Prasad urged the team management to groom future leaders like Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, and Ishan Kishan by making them deputies under Suryakumar's guidance.
“One of the biggest reasons to retain Suryakumar is leadership continuity. At present, India do not have a ready-made long-term T20 captaincy solution waiting in the wings. Changing captains frequently can disturb the direction and culture of the side. India needs stability, clarity, and a transition plan rather than sudden reactions based on temporary form.
“Personally, I feel the selectors and team management should now start grooming the next generation of T20 leaders under Suryakumar’s guidance. Players like Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma and Ishan Kishan can be developed as future T20 captains for India.
“Over the next six months, these players can be made deputy leaders to Suryakumar Yadav in different series and conditions. This would allow India to gradually build leadership depth without creating unnecessary turbulence within the setup,” he remarked.