It’s been a little over a year since Suryakumar was appointed the full-time skipper following the retirement of Rohit Sharma. Rohit went out in a blaze of glory, lifting the T20 World Cup in Bridgetown in June last year
India skipper Suryakumar Yadav during a training session in Dubai on Saturday. PIC/BCCI
Next Sunday, September 14, is when Suryakumar Yadav turns 35. It’s a big number in cricketing terms, though the lines have blurred a little in recent times with age no longer as relevant as it once used to be, especially in Indian cricket. This September 14 will be slightly different for the maverick from Mumbai; it’s the first time he will captain the Indian team against Pakistan, at the T20 Asia Cup.
India vs Pak is huge
It won’t be an exaggeration to say that at this stage, it will be his biggest game in charge. That will change as the tournament unfolds and teams get to the business end. That will also change by the T20 World Cup, in India and Sri Lanka next February-March. But given the kind of individual Suryakumar is, it is unlikely that he will be too fazed by the prospect of leading his side out against Pakistan in these somewhat tense and uncertain times.
It’s been a little over a year since Suryakumar was appointed the full-time skipper following the retirement of Rohit Sharma. Rohit went out in a blaze of glory, lifting the T20 World Cup in Bridgetown in June last year. Suryakumar’s elevation was a surprise in some quarters but in his four series in charge in his own steam — he had also led the seven games previously in 2023 when Rohit was on a T20 sabbatical — he has reiterated the wisdom of that move.
India have pulled off convincing triumphs in each of those four showdowns, but the Asia Cup is a different challenge and Suryakumar knows that all too well. He also knows that despite his stature as perhaps arguably the most dangerous batter in T20 history, he needs to get his bat out of the freezer and start scoring the international runs that have been elusive in his last eight innings, which have produced a frugal 54 runs.
Like several of his colleagues in the 15-man squad, Suryakumar is coming in cold, so to say. His last competitive game was on June 1 in the Indian Premier League, after which he went under the surgeon’s knife to address a sports hernia issue for the second time in a little over a year. He has been at the forefront of India’s two training sessions on Friday and Saturday at the ICC Academy Oval since their arrival here in batches on Thursday and will be eager to make a statement early on, starting with India’s opener against the UAE on Wednesday.
Benchmark has been set
Suryakumar isn’t unaware that he has massive boots to fill. In the US and the Caribbean last year, Rohit ended India’s 11-year wait for an ICC trophy, thus laying down the marker. Suryakumar himself grew and evolved as a 20-over batter and leader under his fellow Mumbaikar, but he has brought his own dash and panache too. As India begin the process of sorting out their combinations and personnel with the T20 World Cup title defence in mind, the onus will be on Suryakumar to set the tone. Nothing will excite him more.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
