Surya Kumar Yadav under threat of losing India’s T20 captaincy to Ishan Kishan

Due to a prolonged dip in form with the bat over the last couple of years, Suryakumar Yadav could be in danger of losing the T20 captaincy. Sources have told CricBlogger that discussions to this effect have already begun within the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), with Ishan Kishan emerging as the leading candidate to take over for the next T20 World Cup cycle.

The selectors are largely in agreement, and a consensus is expected to be reached when the squad for the upcoming England T20 series is finalised, sources said. It is also understood that the selectors have plenty of options to choose from within the current pool — including Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson and Axar Patel.

However, Kishan appears to be leading the race, owing to his performances in domestic cricket as well as his recent international form.

Even Rohit Sharma had to make way for Shubman Gill despite winning the Champions Trophy, which is why Suryakumar potentially losing the T20 captaincy after an ICC trophy triumph wouldn’t come as a surprise.

While Rohit did not lose his place in the ODI side after being removed as captain, it remains unclear whether Suryakumar will retain his spot in the T20 XI. The thinking behind appointing a new T20 leader is straightforward — in this format, the captain ultimately has to lead from the front with consistent runs.

Earlier, the selectors had appointed Gill as the T20 vice-captain, but he was removed from the role just weeks before the T20 World Cup. “No one can take their place for granted. The competition is so intense that you simply can’t keep top performers out of the Indian team,” a source said.

Suryakumar, who has been struggling with a wrist injury, isn’t getting any younger. By the time the next T20 World Cup comes around, he will be over 37, which is why there is a growing feeling within the system that it’s imperative to appoint a new leader for the format.

Sources said that Shreyas Iyer is one of the options, but the selectors are reluctant to fast-track a candidate into the national side when he wasn’t even part of the World Cup squad.

Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan has proven his mettle as a captain for Jharkhand and has been in impressive form while maintaining high fitness standards in the format. He could also be in line for a return to the ODI side, given his consistent performances over the past few months.