Former Team India fielding coach R Sridhar mentioned that Suryakumar Yadav meets many important criteria, which is why he was chosen as the captain for T20I matches. After Rohit Sharma retired from T20Is following the 2024 T20 World Cup victory, many thought Hardik Pandya, who was the vice-captain during the tournament, would become the new captain. But the new head coach, Gautam Gambhir, selected Suryakumar Yadav as the captain for the shortest cricket format. Sridhar believes that Suryakumar’s strong relationship with his teammates in the dressing room has greatly helped him secure the captaincy.
“He has shown leadership skills during his time with the Indian team. This has been very beneficial for him, especially because of his good relationship with the other players, who respect him a lot,” Sridhar said, talking to Hindustan Times.
Sridhar supported chief selector Ajit Agarkar’s explanation that Suryakumar Yadav’s consistent presence, without needing to manage his workload, was a significant factor.
“The fact that Surya is always ready to play for every match India participates in, without worrying about managing his workload, has really helped his chances for captaincy,” Sridhar explained.
“The matches he has led India in, when Rohit and Hardik were not available, have shown the BCCI that he can do a great job,” he further mentioned.
Discussing the situation where Hardik Pandya was not chosen for any captaincy positions across all cricket formats, Sridhar expressed his belief that the versatile player would regain his place.
“I’m certain Hardik will return. He recently helped you win a World Cup. Hardik is a unique talent,” he stated.
“We will ensure he is well-supported while he continues to play cricket, making sure he is ready for important series and major ICC tournaments,” Sridhar continued.
Sridhar served as India’s fielding coach from 2014 to 2021 and has closely worked with both Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya.
