Suryakumar Yadav To Be Sacked As India Captain? Latest Update Brings Trouble For MI Star

Suryakumar Yadav for India - (Source: AFP)

On the magical night of March 8, Suryakumar Yadav joined an elite list featuring MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma after he led India to their 3rd T20 World Cup title. There was a lot of criticism towards SKY before the tournament, but the MI batter silenced his critics in style.

After the final, the focus quickly shifted to IPL 2026. However, in the latest events, the selectors have started planning for the next T20 cycle, and Suryakumar Yadav seems to be missing from the scheme of things.

Suryakumar Yadav’s batting woes extend to IPL 2026

Before the T20 World Cup 2026, there weren’t many questions about his leadership. However, his place in the team as a batter was questioned. Notably, in 2025, SKY averaged just 13.62 and scored 218 runs in 18 innings.

During the T20 World Cup 2026, he started well with a brilliant 84-run knock vs USA, but then his performance went downhill. SKY amassed 242 runs in nine innings during the tournament, averaging 30.25. He mostly scored against top nations and failed on big occasions such as the T20 World Cup final, where he scored a golden duck.

Also Read: Mohsin Naqvi Issues Official Statement On Replacing Jay Shah As ICC Chairman

His woes with the bat has now been extended to IPL, where he is known to make runs at every cost. Talking about his IPL 2026 numbers, the 35-year-old has scored just 106 runs in four innings, which includes a solitary fifty-plus score. 

Selectors Looking For New Options after UK Tour

As mentioned above, selectors are not keen on having Suryakumar Yadav for India’s 2026-2028 T20 cycle. In the latest report from PTI, a BCCI official stated that SKY will lead India for the upcoming UK tour, but his place in the team will be based on his performance as a batter.

"Obviously, Surya is now leading the team. But he also has to ensure that, as a batter, he maintains a level of consistency in his performances. Obviously, he will lead in the UK, but after that, discussions going forward till 2028 could be purely performance-based," the source revealed.

Potential Options To Replace SKY As India's T20I Captain

Besides the form, SKY will turn 36 this year and the age is also not in his side. Shedding light on his replacements, then if the board decides to go for experience, then Hardik Pandya is a great choice as the star all-rounder is just 32.

Shreyas Iyer can also be a great choice as he is just 31 and SKY's exit will make his entry smooth in the team.  Other than these two, there aren't many names popping up who can be the next India T20I captain.

Notably, India have two major events in two years time. One is the T20 World Cup and other Olympics. Therefore, there will be a lot of thought behind choosing SKY's successor for the next cycle.

Also Read: BPL Team Breaks Silence After Nasum Ahmed’s Cheque Fraud Claims