Suryakumar Yadav has a solid case to be labeled as India’s best-ever T20I batter. Despite making his debut in 2021, he has scored the third-most runs in the format but has the highest strike rate for anyone who’s scored over 1000 runs. He got injured last year but bounced back fairly easily and was at his best in the T20 World Cup. However, he wasn’t India’s T20I captain then. The only thing he thought about was his batting; that won’t be the case when he takes the field in the IND vs SL 1st ODI on July 27.
Batting under pressure?
Captaincy affects each player differently. Someone like Virat Kohli always thrived under pressure and had an impeccable batting record, but that isn’t the case for everyone. It remains to be seen how Suryakumar Yadav will perform and in what direction his batting treads. The 360-degree batting feels like a bird roaming in the sky, going wherever it pleases. Will that bird be caged under the burden of captaincy? There’s nothing in his record to suggest that he would struggle but we’ve seen legends like Sachin Tendulkar quit after admitting that captaincy affected their game.
Suryakumar Yadav’s record as player & captain in T20Is
| Record as | Inns | Runs | Ave | SR | 100 | 50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | 65 | 2340 | 43.33 | 167.74 | 4 | 19 |
| Captain | 7 | 300 | 42.85 | 164.43 | 1 | 2 |
First time leading a full-strength Indian side
It won’t be the first time Suryakumar leads the Indian team in T20Is. He’s led India in two series, winning one and tying the other. However, in both of these series, Team India wasn’t fielding a full-strength team. Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli weren’t part of the team. The fact was that he was made captain due to the unavailability of other top stars.
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Fighting for captaincy spot
Suryakumar Yadav won’t only perform at his best with the bat but also while wearing the captain’s hat. Unlike the previous series’, Surya would have to manage star players, including someone like Hardik Pandya, who’s not only his senior but also a competitor for the captaincy role. One has to factor in that Hardik was presumed to be Rohit Sharma’s successor, and not becoming India’s T20I captain would sting. Their relationship might not be as friendly as before, and it’ll be something that Surya has to deal with in a manner that doesn’t affect the team.
Hardik won’t be his only competitor though. His vice-captain for the IND vs SL T20I series, Shubman Gill, was leading a young side in Zimbabwe earlier this month and would be vying for that role as well.
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