Senior Team India batter Suryakumar Yadav is all set to be sacked as T20I captain. That’s not all, the 35-year-old is also set to lose his place in the T20I team. Suryakumar captained India to victory in the 2026 T20 World Cup at home in March. However, according to a report in ESPNcricinfo, the Mumbai Indians (MI) batter is unlikely to be picked for the tour of Ireland and England.
The report further added that Shreyas Iyer is likely to be chosen as Team India’s new T20I captain. The Men in Blue will play two T20Is against Ireland in Belfast on June 26 and 28. This will be followed by a five-match T20I series in England from July 1 to 11. The T20I squad for the tour is likely to be announced on June 6.
In the wake of multiple reports claiming that Suryakumar is set to be sacked as T20I captain, we look at three reasons why this seems like the perfect time for Team India to move on from the 360-degree batter.
#1 Suryakumar Yadav is clearly past his prime
Suryakumar may have led India to victory in the T20 World Cup earlier this year. However, it is very much clear that he has been hanging on to his place on past reputation. Barring the home series against New Zealand ahead of the T20 World Cup and one innings against the USA in India’s opening match in the ICC event, he has done precious little of note with the willow for a while now.
Suryakumar had a horror 2025 in T20Is, scoring just 218 runs in 19 innings at an average of 13.62 and a strike rate of 123.16, with a best of 47*. This year he has managed 484 runs in 14 innings at an average of 44 and a strike rate of 161.33, with four half-centuries.
Suryakumar’s T20I numbers in 2026 look impressive because he had a good series against New Zealand at home. However, in the T20 World Cup, he looked totally out of sorts after smashing an unbeaten 84 off 49 against the USA. He ended the ICC event with 242 runs at an average of 30.25 and a strike rate of 136.72.
Suryakumar’s woeful run continued in IPL 2026 as well. In 13 innings, he scored 270 runs, averaging 20.76 at a strike rate of 147.54. There are question marks over his fitness as well. According to some reports, a persistent wrist injury has severely hampered his 360-degree stroke-making ability.
#2 New captain will get ample time to build a squad for the 2028 T20 World Cup
The T20I tour of Ireland and England will kick off Team India’s preparations for the next T20 World Cup 2028. With a new captain taking charge, most probably Shreyas in this case, it will mark the start of a new era in India’s T20I journey. More significantly, it will give the leader time to build a core for the next T20 World Cup, which will be held in Australia and New Zealand in October-November 2028.
Shreyas is a totally different personality from Suryakumar and would like to build the squad his way. For that, it is only fair that he is given ample time and opportunities. Further, the 31-year-old himself hasn’t played a T20I for Team India since December 2023, so he too will need some time to reestablish himself in the T20I set up.
#3 Shreyas Iyer deserves T20I spot ahead of Suryakumar Yadav
On current batting form and leadership credentials, Shreyas deserves a spot in India’s starting XI ahead of Suryakumar. If we look at Team India’s current T20I structure, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson have proved themselves as openers, while Ishan Kishan has also grabbed his opportunity with both hands. Tilak Varma has also established himself in the middle order.
The only way Shreyas can fit into the playing XI in T20Is is if one big name makes way. Under the current circumstances, Suryakumar being left out in favor of Shreyas seems in the best interest of Indian cricket. The former has done his job for the side. But, the terminal decline in batting form, coupled by a perceived lack of ingenuity in leadership, might mark the end of the road for Suryakumar in T20Is.
Edited by Renin Wilben Albert