Tag: Suryakumar Yadav

MUMBAI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday appointed Shreyas Iyer as the new T20I captain, replacing Suryakumar Yadav in a sweeping selection overhaul.

The decision comes amid Suryakumar’s dip in batting form, despite him leading India to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 title earlier this year.

He was dropped from the T20I side altogether after managing mere 242 runs in nine World Cup innings at a strike rate of 136.72 and enduring a modest IPL 2026 campaign with 270 runs in 13 matches at 20.76 average.

Iyer, meanwhile, returned to the T20I setup after a long absence, having last played in the format in December 2023. His appointment is backed by strong leadership credentials in franchise cricket, including guiding Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL 2024 title and leading both Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings to IPL finals in 2020 and 2025, respectively.

His recent batting numbers further strengthened his case, with 604 runs in IPL 2025 at a strike rate of 175.07, followed by 498 runs in IPL 2026 at 168.81.

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Moreover, 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has earned his maiden call-up to the senior T20I squad after a blistering IPL season, during which he topped the run charts, amassing 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.30, including a century and five half-centuries.

India will begin the new T20I era under Iyer with two matches in Ireland on June 26 and 28, followed by a five-match series in England from July 1 to 11.

The BCCI named a 16-member squad for the Ireland and England tours, which will be trimmed to 15 for the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi, Japan, scheduled from September 19 to October 4.

Jasprit Bumrah is set to replace Mohammed Siraj in the Asian Games squad, while Prince Yadav will miss out. The rest of the group remains unchanged.

India T20I squad for Ireland, England series: Shreyas Iyer (c), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vc), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Mohammed Siraj, Prince Yadav.

India T20I squad for Asian Games 2026: Shreyas Iyer (c), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vc), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Jasprit Bumrah.

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India are set for a major leadership change in T20I cricket, with Shreyas Iyer emerging as the frontrunner to replace Suryakumar Yadav as captain.

According to reports, India’s selectors and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are considering a fresh direction in the shortest format despite Suryakumar guiding the team to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 title earlier this year.

The proposed change comes as India begin planning for the T20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2028, while also preparing for cricket’s return to the Olympics at the Los Angeles Games the same year.

Suryakumar’s position came under scrutiny following a mixed run of form. Although India lifted the T20 World Cup trophy under his leadership, the experienced batter scored 242 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 136.72 during the tournament.

His struggles continued in IPL 2026, where he managed 270 runs from 13 innings at an average of 20.76 and a strike rate of 147.54.

Reports suggest the 35-year-old could even be left out of India’s upcoming T20I squad as the selectors look to build a younger core for future tournaments.

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Shreyas Iyer, meanwhile, has strengthened his case through consistent performances and impressive leadership credentials in franchise cricket. The right-handed batter captained Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title in 2024 and previously led Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings to IPL finals in 2020 and 2025, respectively.

Despite not featuring in a T20I since December 2023, Iyer has remained among the most productive batters in the IPL. He amassed 604 runs at a strike rate of 175.07 during the 2025 season before following it up with 498 runs at a strike rate of 168.81 in IPL 2026.

The potential leadership switch would continue a recent trend in Indian cricket. Last year, Rohit Sharma was replaced as ODI captain shortly after leading India to the Champions Trophy 2025 title, although he retained his place in the squad as a player.

India are expected to announce their squad for the upcoming white-ball tour of Ireland and England on Saturday, with teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also set to earn his maiden international call-up.

The 15-year-old enjoyed a record-breaking IPL 2026 campaign, scoring 776 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 237.30. If selected, he would become the youngest player named in an Indian men’s squad since Sachin Tendulkar’s emergence in international cricket during the late 1980s.

India’s tour begins with two T20Is against Ireland in Belfast on June 26 and 28 before a five-match T20I series against England, scheduled from July 1 to 11.

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India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav is set to be removed from the role, several Indian media outlets reported on Wednesday.

According to reports, the 35-year-old could be axed as captain, while his place in the team has also come under scrutiny.

The decision looms for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ahead of the India squad announcement for the tours of Ireland and England.

The decision is understandable as the board is looking towards a younger captain amid concerns over Yadav’s form and age on his side. His overall numbers have nosedived in recent times. From 1 January 2025 till the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2026, Yadav only managed 702 runs in 35 matches at an average of 26.

Overall, he has played 113 T20Is, amassing 3272 runs at an average of 36.35 at an impressive strike rate of 162.94.

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Apart from international form, he also struggled in the recently concluded IPL 2026, where he could only score 270 runs in 13 innings, averaging just 20.76.

For the unversed, Suryakumar Yadav took over the captaincy reins from Rohit Sharma, who retired after the 2024 T20 World Cup.

He successfully led India after assuming the role, winning 40 of 52 matches with a 76% win rate, including the Asia Cup 2025 title.

Yadav memorably took the catch of South Africa’s David Miller on the boundary line in the final over of the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Final, a moment that ultimately secured the title for India.

READ: IPL 2026: Mitchell Santner half-payment claim sparks controversy

Captain Suryakumar Yadav said gold in 2028 on cricket’s return to the Olympics was India’s next big aim after extending their T20 domination with back-to-back World Cup titles.

Co-hosts India hammered New Zealand by 96 runs in the final in Ahmedabad on Sunday to be the first team to retain the T20 world crown and first to win it three times.

It was also the first time a team have won the title on home soil, and they did it with a brand of fearless, attacking cricket.

“It has been very special,” Suryakumar told reporters at a celebratory midnight press conference, as fans across the country flooded into the streets.

“And definitely the next goal is Olympics, Olympic gold and also the T20 World Cup that year.”

Los Angeles 2028 will see cricket return to the Olympics for the first time since 1900.

Led by then captain Rohit Sharma, India won the T20 World Cup two years ago in Barbados for their first major title since the 2013 Champions Trophy.

Rohit and fellow stalwart Virat Kohli retired from the shortest format after the final against South Africa and Suryakumar took over as captain.

“I think that drought ended in 2024 after a really long time and from there we never looked back,” said the 35-year-old.

“We played a different brand of cricket in 2024, and from there we understood how this team needs to work (going) forward.

“And it’s been a wonderful journey since then.”

Suryakumar added: “We wanted to do something special in front of the home crowd. We want to continue doing that… and never stop.”

India won the 50-over World Cup in 2011 at home under M.S. Dhoni, who led the team to a T20 World Cup in the inaugural edition in 2007.

After that was a comparative drought in the biggest events by India’s sky-high standards.

Two-time World Cup winner Gautam Gambhir, who succeeded Rahul Dravid as coach after the 2024 World Cup win, wants to carve out his own legacy.

“I don’t believe in inheriting anything, I believe in creating something,” said Gambhir, who has not always been universally popular with fans and pundits as the coach.

“And hopefully we’ve created something which probably all of you guys could be proud of, that the kind of brand of cricket we’ve played.”

India skipper Suryakumar Yadav on Saturday backed struggling opener Abhishek Sharma to play his attacking game with enough firepower in the rest of the line-up as they face South Africa in the T20 World Cup.

The two teams will clash in the Super Eights stage in Ahmedabad on Sunday in a rematch of the T20 World Cup final two years ago, won by India.

Both teams topped their group with perfect records.

But while Aiden Markram’s South Africa have looked strong in all departments, tournament favourites India have not enjoyed batting consistency, with Abhishek recording three consecutive ducks.

“People who are worried about Abhishek’s form, I worry for them,” a smiling Suryakumar told reporters.

“I think about those teams against whom he is going to fire as he has not been able to score till now. When he gets the runs then you know how it is.”

Suryakumar said, “It is a team sport, it happens. Team requires him to play with his identity, so if he fires it’s okay otherwise we are there to cover for him. Last year he covered for us, now we will do it for him.”

The left-handed Abhishek, the world’s number one-ranked T20 batsman, has handed the team many explosive starts since his debut in July 2024.

Big totals were predicted at the start of the 20-team tournament with India pipped to cross 300 on home ground, but the reality has been different.

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Ireland’s 235 against Oman in the group stage has been the highest total so far, with India reaching their best of 209 in a big win over minnows Namibia.

“We are trying to explode from the start because everyone knows their T20 template, but we don’t want to become a team that’s always blasting away,” said Suryakumar.

“There could arise a situation where two-three wickets fall early and we have to be a smart team to bat well between 12-15 overs and we have enough firepower that if the base is strong then we can smash 60-70 runs in last five overs.”

India boasts of a potent spin attack led by the world’s number one-ranked T20 bowler Varun Chakravarthy, who has claimed nine wickets in four matches.

South African spinners, including Keshav Maharaj, have also made their presence felt, and Suryakumar said there will be no favourites in the Sunday game.

“The (Indian) spinners have done well against almost all oppositions, (but) I can’t say we will have an edge,” said Suryakumar.

“It’s a new game and we start from zero. But definitely some good plans. On the given day, plans and execution should be coming together, if that comes together we will definitely have an edge.”

India are on a 12-match unbeaten run at the T20 World Cup, stretching back to their defeat in the semi-final against eventual winners England in 2022.

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COLOMBO: Skipper Suryakumar Yadav has expressed readiness to face mystery off-spinner Usman Tariq ahead of the high-stakes India-Pakistan clash in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Ahead of the clash, Suryakumar answered a question regarding mystery bowler Usman Tariq, who has made headlines due to his unorthodox action.

“Even in the exam, if a question comes out of the syllabus, we have to do it,” he replied to the reporter.

“You can’t leave it. He’s a different character, but we can’t surrender to him. We have practiced and are all very excited,” he added while stating that they have no jetlag while travelling from India to Sri Lanka.

Tariq, inspired by former Indian captain MS Dhoni, has caught eyebrows with his unique action.

The tall off-spinner has made batters clueless with his unique bowling style.

Tariq has been in impressive form in the ongoing tournament, claiming five wickets in two matches so far.

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Overall, he has picked up 11 wickets in four T20Is, maintaining an outstanding average of 7.90 and an economy of 5.93.

During Australia’s recent T20I series tour of Pakistan, Australian batter Cameron Green was seen making a gesture that many interpreted as questioning Tariq’s action.

This was not the first time Tariq’s bowling has been scrutinised. Tariq was previously reported during PSL 9 and PSL 10, but his action was officially cleared on both occasions.

Addressing the scrutiny last year, Tariq explained that the natural bend in his elbows often creates confusion.

“There are two corners on my elbow that make it hard for me to straighten,” he said in an interview last year.

“I gave two tests at labs in Pakistan, and my action was cleared within a week. I didn’t get told to change anything. I was confident because I knew I was not throwing.”

READ: Suryakumar deflects handshake question before Pakistan clash

Blistering knocks by skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan led India to a crushing seven-wicket win over New Zealand on Friday, giving them a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20 series.

Chasing 209 for victory, India rode on a 122-run third-wicket stand between Kishan (76) and Suryakumar, who made an unbeaten 82, to achieve the target with 28 balls to spare in the second match in Raipur.

India head into the third match on Sunday in Guwahati with an eye on the series, which is a warm-up ahead of the T20 World Cup starting on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka.

The left-handed Kishan, who returned to the Indian team in the opener after two years, lifted the hosts from 6-2 with a string of boundaries.

He reached his fifty in 21 balls with a four and kept up the charge until his departure off leg-spinner Ish Sodhi. Kishan struck 11 fours and four sixes in his 32-ball knock.

Suryakumar reached his first fifty in the format for 468 days — and 23 innings — after which he raised his bat and looked up to the skies amid the applause.

His previous half-century was against Bangladesh on October 12, 2024.

Suryakumar, who hit nine fours and four sixes in his 37-ball blitz, and the left-handed Shivam Dube, who struck 36, put an unbeaten partnership of 81 to pulverise the opposition.

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Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy took a wicket each in the first two overs before Zak Foulkes conceded 24 runs off the third over, which started with a no ball for four and three wides.

Earlier, New Zealand posted 208-6 with skipper Mitchell Santner hitting an unbeaten 47 off 27 balls in a late blitz by the number seven batter.

New Zealand started strongly with opener Devon Conway and Tim Seifert taking on the opposition attack with a string of boundaries in a quickfire 43-run stand.

Medium-pace bowler Harshit Rana dismissed the left-handed Conway for the fourth time in successive white-ball matches to start with a maiden wicket. Conway made 19 off nine balls.

Wicketkeeper-batter Seifert, who made 24, followed his opening partner back to the pavilion without troubling the score as he fell to Varun Chakravarthy’s spin.

Glenn Phillips kept up the attack in his brief stay of 19 runs and, after his departure, the left-handed Rachin Ravindra took the lead in his 44 off 26 balls.

India struck regular blows including two to left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav but New Zealand batters kept up the pace and Foulkes finished with a six and four, but the effort was not enough to challenge India.

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India captain Suryakumar Yadav said on Tuesday he would not change his style of batting as he bids to stop an alarming slump in form heading into the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

His team will face New Zealand in the first game of a five-match warm-up series on Wednesday in Nagpur, ahead of the World Cup starting February 7 in India and Sri Lanka.

But Suryakumar, formerly the ICC’s top-ranked T20I batter, has scored just 244 runs across his last 22 innings in the format dating back to October 2024, without a single fifty.

“I have been batting really well (in the nets),” Suryakumar, who is set to play his 100th T20 international in the series opener, told reporters.

“And also talking about the runs, it will definitely come, but at the same time, I can’t do things differently. I don’t want to change my identity.

“What has given me success in the past three, four years, I would like to bat the same way. And then if (the) performance comes I will take it, if it doesn’t I will go back to the drawing board, practise again, work hard and come back stronger.”

Suryakumar, 35, boasts a punishing T20I strike-rate of 163.23, although that does drop slightly as skipper.

He took over the T20 captaincy full-time when Rohit Sharma stepped down following India’s World Cup triumph in 2024.

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Suryakumar Yadav has flourished as a leader despite his personal struggles with the bat, leading India to six consecutive bilateral series wins and victory in last year’s T20 Asia Cup.

India are favourites to defend their World Cup title, sitting top of the ICC rankings and unbeaten in T20 series since a 3-2 loss to the West Indies in August 2023.

“If I have to take everyone’s responsibility, then I will have to think well about the team,” said Suryakumar.

“In that, I think there is no room for personal milestone. It’s a team sport. Everyone has to step up; everyone has to do well.”

Batter Tilak Varma and spinner Washington Sundar are both racing against time to be fit for the World Cup despite being named in the squad.

Ishan Kishan will return to the team against New Zealand for the first time since 2023 after being recalled to the squad, with Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill a surprise omission.

India were beaten at home in an ODI series by New Zealand for the first time ever earlier this month.

An under-strength Black Caps backed up their remarkable maiden Test series win in India, when they powered to a 3-0 clean sweep in 2024.

READ: Litton Das ‘unsure’ over Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup participation

Suryakumar Yadav, captain of India’s T20I team, announced on Tuesday that middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer is stable and has been in communication with the team from the hospital after suffering a lacerated spleen.

Iyer, 30, sustained the injury as he pulled off a sensational catch to remove Alex Carey, a key moment in the third one-day international against Australia that India won by nine wickets in Sydney.

The Indian ODI vice-captain was forced off the field and hospitalised.

“I have been talking to him over the last two days, he has been replying,” Suryakumar told journalists ahead of the team’s first T20 international in Canberra on Wednesday.

“It’s looking good,” Suryakumar said. “They will keep him under observation for a few days.”

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He added that doctors and physiotherapists described the injury as “rare”.

“But rare things happen to rare talent. God is with him, and he will recover soon, and we will take him along with us.”

Iyer is being closely monitored by the medical team of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

He is not part of India’s T20 squad, which will play five matches in Australia that will serve as a tune-up for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in February-March.

He has scored 2,917 runs from 73 ODIs at an average of 47.81 since his ODI debut in 2017.

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India captain Suryakumar Yadav has been found guilty of breaching the ICC code of conduct over his political comments during the India-Pakistan clash on September 14 in the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025.

According to Cricinfo, the exact sanction that has been applied is not confirmed, but it is likely to be demerit points or a fine.After the sanction, India has appealed against the verdict.

Meanwhile, the report said that the verdict on Pakistan players Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan is awaited.

A day earlier, the Indian skipper was summoned by match referee Richie Richardson and ICC officials for a meeting at a local hotel in Dubai regarding this matter.

During the meeting, Yadav was advised to refrain from making political comments in the future. However, the report indicated that it is unclear whether Suryakumar faced any other sanctions.

The controversy arose after the BCCI emailed its complaint to the ICC earlier this week, pointing to Farhan’s celebration and Rauf’s actions as “provocative.”

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Yesterday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also lodged an official complaint against Yadav’s comments following India’s victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 group stage match on September 14.

The PCB’s complaint said that Yadav had politicized cricket and breached the ICC’s code of conduct on neutrality.

The matter stems from Yadav dedicating the win to “the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack,” which took place earlier this year in April, triggering renewed cross-border tensions.

“Want to dedicate the win to all our armed forces who showed a lot of bravery,” Yadav said during the post-match presentation.

“Hope they continue to inspire us all, and we give them more reasons on the ground whenever we get an opportunity to make them smile.”

READ: Haris Rauf, Sahibzada Farhan defend actions in ICC hearing over BCCI complaint