Suryakumar Yadav Likely To Overtake Hardik Pandya As India's Next T20I Captain

Suryakumar Yadav is poised to become India's new T20I captain following Rohit Sharma's retirement after the T20 World Cup victory.

Hardik Pandya, who served as vice-captain during the event, was also a strong candidate for the role.

The BCCI selection committee has reportedly chosen Suryakumar Yadav as the next T20 captain of India. This decision considers the long-term future of the team. Hardik Pandya's recurring fitness issues influenced this choice, as selectors preferred someone available for an extended period.

Hardik Pandya has made himself unavailable for the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, according to The Indian Express. However, he will participate in the preceding three T20Is and likely play under Suryakumar Yadav's leadership.

Interestingly, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya all play for Mumbai Indians in IPL. In IPL 2023, Rohit and Suryakumar played under Hardik's captaincy. During the T20 World Cup 2024, where India triumphed over South Africa in the final, Hardik served as Rohit's deputy.

After India's loss in the T20 World Cup 2024 final, Hardik Pandya took over as T20I captain when Rohit Sharma took a break from T20Is. However, Suryakumar Yadav emerged as a contender after Hardik got injured during the T20 World Cup 2023.


Suryakumar's Leadership Record


Suryakumar led India against Australia and South Africa, winning five out of seven matches. As captain of the Indian T20I team, he has scored one hundred and two fifties.

Gautam Gambhir's endorsement also played a role in Suryakumar Yadav's selection. Suryakumar was part of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) when Gambhir was captain. Currently ranked second among T20I batters globally, Suryakumar is not included in Test and ODI squads, allowing him to focus solely on T20I cricket.


Managing Workload

The workload on Hardik Pandya is expected to be higher due to his involvement in longer formats. With the ODI ICC Champions Trophy scheduled for next year, managing his workload will be crucial to keep him fit for these important matches.


This strategic decision aims to balance player availability and performance while ensuring India's continued success in international cricket.