India’s T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav has expressed his admiration for Rohit Sharma, describing the World Cup-winning captain as more than just a mentor — “a brother" who’s been by his side through thick and thin.

Suryakumar was handed captaincy after Rohit hung up his boots from T20Is following the T20 World Cup triumph last year. Since taking over as full-time captain, Surya has led India in 32 T20I matches, winning 26 of them, which includes the Asia Cup 2025 title.

Suryakumar is now gearing up to lead the side in next year’s T20 Word Cup at home. And in moments of self-doubt, he says it’s always Rohit he turns to.

“Rohit Sharma is like a brother to me. Whenever something happens or I find myself stuck, even during matches, the first person I call or message for advice is Rohit," Suryakumar said in an interview with journalist Vimal Kumar on YouTube.

“He’s been through every kind of situation himself, so he knows exactly what to do. He always shares his ideas and guidance with me."

The deep bond between the two stretches back more than a decade. “Our bond goes way back. When I made my first-class debut for Mumbai in 2010-11, he was already a senior in the domestic circuit. From there to the Mumbai Indians, that’s where our journey really started,” Surya had recalled in an earlier interview this year.

After a stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders, Suryakumar Yadav rejoined Mumbai Indians in 2018 and observed Rohit Sharma’s leadership from close quarters.

“That’s when I really learned the tricks of the trade — leadership, how he handled people on and off the field," he said.

Suryakumar also admitted that seeing Rohit lead India in both T20Is and ODIs gave him a perspective of the pressure a captain deals with.

“That’s when I saw the real Rohit Sharma: calm under pressure, always putting the team first," he added.