• Source:JND

Suryakumar Yadav may have lost the captaincy of India's T20I team and could even find himself out of the squad for the time being, but he showed nothing but class after the latest team announcement.

The star batter took to social media to congratulate Shreyas Iyer, who was named India's new T20I captain ahead of the upcoming tours of Ireland and England. Suryakumar and Iyer have shared a long journey together in Mumbai cricket and have known each other for years.

Sharing a picture of himself hugging Iyer, Suryakumar wrote on Instagram, "Very happy that a Mumbaikar is going to lead the T20I team. Wishing you all the luck. The boys are fantastic and I'm sure they will respond well to your ideas."

He ended the message with a light-hearted note, saying, "Be yourself. I am watching you closely."

Suryakumar also sent his best wishes to the newly selected Indian squad and had special praise for young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. At just 15 years old, Vaibhav has become the youngest player ever selected for India's men's team in any format.

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Congratulating the teenager, Suryakumar wrote, "You have earned it and how. Super excited to follow your journey."

The selection announcements on Saturday came as a surprise to many cricket fans. Suryakumar's captaincy stint appears to have ended despite leading India to the T20 World Cup title in 2024. Although his batting form has dipped over the past year, few expected such a major change in leadership.

Shreyas Iyer's captaincy

On the other hand, Shreyas Iyer's rise has been remarkable. His last T20I appearance for India came back in December 2023, but since then he has transformed his game significantly.

Iyer first led Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title in 2024 before taking over as captain of Punjab Kings. Along the way, he developed into one of the most dangerous batters in T20 cricket, earning his way back into India's plans.

Suryakumar Yadav's T20 career

If Suryakumar's international T20 career has indeed reached its final chapter, he will leave behind an outstanding legacy. Widely regarded as one of India's greatest T20 batters, he scored 3,272 runs in 113 matches at a strike rate of nearly 163 and an average of over 36.

His record includes four centuries and 25 half-centuries, making him India's third-highest run-scorer in T20 internationals behind only Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. More importantly, he changed the way T20 batting was viewed with his fearless stroke play and ability to score all around the ground.


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