Just after being named India’s full-time captain during Gautam Gambhir’s time, top batter Suryakumar Yadav aims to play in all formats for the Indian team. Suryakumar, who was once the best T20I batter, led India to a 3-0 sweep against Sri Lanka following the ICC World Cup 2024. This three-game series marked the beginning of Gambhir’s role as head coach for the strong Asian team.
Gambhir, who took over as India’s head coach from Rahul Dravid, approved Suryakumar as the leader for T20Is. Suryakumar was chosen over all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who had been Rohit Sharma’s assistant at the T20 World Cup. Although Pandya was expected to replace Rohit, the Indian decision-makers selected Suryakumar as the new T20I captain. As India prepared to face Sri Lanka in the final match of the One Day International (ODI) series on Wednesday, Suryakumar confirmed he would play one game for Mumbai in the Buchi Babu Invitational multi-day tournament.
In an interview with The Times of India, Suryakumar discussed his return to playing the longest format of cricket. He said, “I aim to represent India in all three formats of the game. Participating in the Buchi Babu tournament will provide me with valuable practice for the upcoming red ball competitions this season.” Suryakumar, who is 33 years old, has only played one Test match for India in 2023. He made his Test debut against Australia at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium. During that match, he scored 8 runs (from 20 balls) as India achieved a significant victory, winning by an innings and 132 runs against Australia.
“Surya called me to say he wants to join the Buchi Babu tournament and will be ready to play from the second game. Having a player like him on our team is a big advantage for Mumbai, and I’m really pleased with his decision,” said Sanjay Patil, who is in charge of choosing the players for Mumbai. Surya is expected to bring new life to the Buchi Babu Invitational tournament. Many famous cricketers, like Sourav Ganguly and Mohammad Azharuddin, have played in this tournament before. Sarfaraz Khan will be the leader of the Mumbai team, while Suryakumar will focus on being a strong batter.
