‘I smiled when my name…’ – Suryakumar Yadav opens up on India T20I captaincy removal

Suryakumar Yadav was removed from the India T20I captaincy role in June 2026 following the squad announcement for the England and Ireland series. The BCCI announced the squads on Saturday, June 6, 2026, with Shreyas Iyer appointed as the new captain of the Indian team for the white-ball series. Suryakumar had replaced Rohit Sharma as India’s T20I captain in July 2024 and recently lifted the T20 World Cup 2026 trophy after a 96-run win over New Zealand in the final held in Ahmedabad.

Suryakumar was dropped from the team after a poor IPL season in which he scored 270 runs in 13 matches at an average of 20.77. The decision to remove him from captaincy came despite his record as a T20I captain, where he had led India in 52 matches, scoring 1232 runs at an average of 28.65 and a strike rate of 154.96. Selectors considered the form and plans of India for their next two-year T20I cycle, keeping in mind the LA Olympics in 2028 and the next T20 World Cup.

“I smiled when my name was not there. Because when I played cricket with the team for a year or two, and whenever I am playing, so whenever I have been in situations like where there is pressure, where things are not going my way, I have always smiled. I have relaxed. And this is what I have seen: the moments in the past when I have had opportunities to do well. I have been grateful,” Suryakumar said on Aakash Chopra’s YouTube channel.

How Suryakumar reacted to his removal

Suryakumar acknowledged the shock of losing the captaincy despite his successful tenure and recent World Cup triumph. He reflected on how he processed the decision and his approach to handling setbacks in his cricket career.

“Obviously, the situation that has come now, even I had not thought that this would happen. After coming in 2026, I felt that, going forward, I would be taking this team forward for another two years. The Olympics will come. Then there will be another T20 World Cup, another challenge going forward. But at the same time, what you think and what the other person thinks are two different things,” Yadav added.

“It is important for them to respect their own thoughts. If they thought that going forward, this is a better call, they took that call. But I didn’t react. Because I felt that this was their call. They took that call in that moment. Going forward, if this team can do well under someone else, no problem,” he further opined.

What selectors told him before the announcement

Selectors informed Suryakumar of the decision before the public announcement, giving him advance notice of the change in leadership. The BCCI had decided to move in a new direction for the white-ball format, prioritising form and long-term planning for the Olympic Games and subsequent World Cup cycle.

“They called me 2-3 days before the team was announced. They called me, saying it’s time to move on. I didn’t react. Because it’s not my fault. That’s not how SKY has ever been,” Suryakumar said.

“Whatever call someone took. He must have thought that this was better for the team. Going forward, this will be a good call. You took the call. You told me. There is no problem,” he added.

Suryakumar Yadav ended his T20I captaincy stint with India with an impressive win percentage of 80.77%, making him the country’s most successful T20I captain among those to have led the team in at least 20 matches.