Suryakumar Yadav has long been known for his flair, fearlessness and ability to change games in a few overs. As India’s T20 captain, he brings calm leadership and confidence, qualities that have helped the team stay competitive in pressure moments.
That leadership, however, now comes with added responsibility. Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has pointed out that while captaincy involves tactics and decision-making, a top-four batter’s first job remains scoring runs, something Suryakumar Yadav has struggled to do in recent months for India.
The contrast between his domestic and international form is striking. In the IPL this year, SKY scored more than 700 runs for Mumbai Indians, looking every bit the dominant T20 batter fans expect. In India colours, though, the returns have been modest. Across 17 T20I innings, he has managed just 201 runs, numbers that stand out for the wrong reasons as the T20 World Cup draws closer.
The concern deepened during the second T20I against South Africa in New Chandigarh. Chasing a challenging target of 214, India needed experience and intent in the middle overs. Suryakumar Yadav was expected to steady the chase and accelerate but his stay ended quickly after just four balls, adding to a series where he had already looked short of confidence.
Aakash Chopra’s message was straightforward that a captain’s job is not just taking toss, it is also about scoring runs. Leadership is important but it cannot replace performance with the bat, especially for someone batting in the top order. Over a long stretch of matches, low scores, a lack of big innings, and limited impact put pressure on both the player and the team balance.
That said, Suryakumar Yadav’s captaincy record remains strong. Since taking charge in mid-2024, India have suffered only a handful of losses in T20Is and also lifted the Asia Cup under his leadership. His control of the group and clarity of thought have not been questioned.
The point being made is not about removing responsibility but about matching authority with output. As captain and senior batter, Suryakumar Yadav’s runs carry extra weight.
With a major tournament approaching, India need both his leadership and his bat firing together, not one without the other.
