Suryakumar Yadav admits difficulties since T20 World Cup at Mumbai event

Suryakumar Yadav said on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at the T20 Mumbai 'Celebrating the Champions' event in Mumbai that the months following the T20 World Cup have been difficult. The event also saw the launch of a new team from Navi Mumbai.

For a player who led India to the T20 World Cup title earlier this year, the period since the tournament has been challenging and he has been away from the national team reckoning. He acknowledged the struggle in blunt terms: "Things have been a little difficult after the T20 World Cup. I don’t want to run away from that fact. If you are not honest with yourself, it is very difficult to lead a happy life. So, it has been very difficult," Suryakumar said.

His personal life provided a positive counterpoint to the professional difficulties: his daughter was born in May during the IPL. "The last few months, since she was born, have been very beautiful," he said.

A discussion with his wife prompted him to reassess his motivations for the game. "She felt I needed to bring back the love and passion for the game that I had when I was a kid who wanted to represent Mumbai in the under-15 cricket team," Suryakumar said.

As he gears up to lead Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Suryakumar outlined a straightforward objective for the campaign. "The main goal is what I used to think about earlier: win games for Mumbai and win the championship for Mumbai," he said.

He also addressed younger players drawn to the IPL, urging them to prioritise traditional pathways in the sport: "I feel the end goal, or even the first goal, should never be to think about playing in the IPL. Everyone dreams of playing for India," he said, emphasising the importance of progressing through age-group and domestic cricket.

He will captain Mumbai when the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy begins on Saturday.