Former Indian T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav spoke out about his removal from the leadership role and squad after leading India to an undefeated T20 World Cup title. In an interview with Aakash Chopra, Suryakumar expressed shock over the decision by the BCCI selectors to hand the captaincy to Shreyas Iyer. Despite his disappointment, Suryakumar respected the team management’s choice and stated he remains ready to play for India whenever called upon.

Suryakumar Yadav revealed that he was completely shocked when the BCCI selection committee decided to replace him as T20 captain with Shreyas Iyer. Speaking on former cricketer Aakash Chopra’s podcast, he mentioned that he had expected to lead the Indian team for another two years, looking ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the next T20 World Cup. While he felt disappointed given India’s undefeated series record, Asia Cup victory, and T20 World Cup triumph under his tenure, he stated that he respects the selectors’ decision to move forward and holds no ill will toward Shreyas Iyer.

Days Before They Told Me: SKY

The selection committee contacted Suryakumar two to three days before announcing the squad for the upcoming series. Selectors informed him that it was time to move on, pointing toward his recent struggles in the IPL as part of their evaluation. Suryakumar maintained his composure during the call, choosing not to contest the decision. He told the officials that he accepts their choice for the betterment of the team and remains fully committed to playing cricket whenever called upon by the board.

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Although Team India achieved remarkable team success under Suryakumar’s captaincy without losing a single bilateral T20 series, his personal batting form experienced a significant drop. A prolonged run-scoring slump in T20 internationals throughout 2025 and early 2026, combined with a modest IPL campaign for Mumbai Indians, prompted the selection panel led by Ajit Agarkar to restructure the T20 setup and hand the leadership reins to Shreyas Iyer.