Suryakumar Yadav: I thought I'd captain India for two more years after T20I sacking
Suryakumar Yadav said on 2026-08-29, in a conversation with Aakash Chopra, that he had expected to captain India’s T20I side for another two years after being removed from the role. He broke his silence on the decision and described his immediate reaction to not being named in the squad.
India enjoyed a period of success under Suryakumar’s captaincy, during which the team never lost a bilateral series and won the Asia Cup, and earlier this year became the first team to win a home T20 World Cup and secure the title for a third time. Over the last year, however, Suryakumar’s batting form declined; in 2025 he scored 218 runs from 21 matches at an average of 13.62. The BCCI then decided to hand over the reigns to Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar was dropped from the team ahead of the England tour.
Suryakumar said he smiled when his name was not included in the squad list, describing that smile as a way of coping with pressure. "I smiled when my name was not there. Because when I played cricket with the team for a year or two, and whenever I am playing, so whenever I have been in situations like where there is pressure, where things are not going my way, I have always smiled. I have relaxed. And this is what I have seen: the moments in the past when I have had opportunities to do well. I have been grateful," he told Aakash Chopra.
He said he had expected to lead India into the next T20 World Cup and the LA Olympics but accepted the selectors’ decision without outward complaint. "Obviously, the situation that has come now, even I had not thought that this would happen. After coming in 2026, I felt that, going forward, I would be taking this team forward for another two years. The Olympics will come. Then there will be another T20 World Cup, another challenge going forward." He added that he understood selection decisions were the board’s prerogative: "But at the same time, what you think and what the other person thinks are two different things. It is important for them to respect their own thoughts. If they thought that going forward, this is a better call, they took that call. But I didn't react. Because I felt that this was their call. They took that call in that moment. Going forward, if this team can do well under someone else, no problem."
Despite expressing acceptance, Suryakumar said he found the timing hard to comprehend after steering India to T20 World Cup success. "I was thinking, how can this happen? How is it possible? We just won the World Cup. Yes, IPL was not as good as how I wanted. We were sitting at home. Friends came, family came. Everyone said that it's okay. Part of life. But then, when they leave the house. We stay alone at home," he said, describing his personal reaction to the setback.
Suryakumar also outlined how the selectors communicated with him in the days before the squad was announced and said he did not react angrily to their call. "They called me 2-3 days before the team was announced. They called me, saying it's time to move on. I didn't react. Because it's not my fault. That's not how SKY has ever been. Whatever call someone took. He must have thought that this was better for the team. Going forward, this will be a good call. You took the call. You told me. There is no problem," he said, adding his availability: "I am ready. You can call me anytime. I am playing cricket anytime. I will continue to play. Whenever you feel the time is right. Things are right."
Suryakumar said he is focusing on fitness and is hopeful of a return to the Indian team. He recently stated he is doing his best to remain fit and is hoping that an Indian team return is on the cards for him.
