Mumbai: Months after leading India to T20 World Cup and Asia Cup victories, Suryakumar Yadav has finally opened up about his sudden removal from the national T20 squad. Despite maintaining an unblemished series-winning record since taking over the captaincy in July 2024, Yadav was bypassed for Shreyas Iyer ahead of the England and Ireland tours, a decision that left the World Cup-winning skipper grappling with disbelief.
Speaking on former cricketer Aakash Chopra’s show, Yadav revealed the emotional toll of the transition. Initially, the star batter masked his disappointment. “When my name wasn’t there, I smiled,” Yadav shared. “Over the past one or two years, whenever I’ve been in tough situations or things haven’t gone my way, I’ve always tried to smile and keep myself calm. I am always grateful for the opportunities I received.”
The national selection committee contacted Yadav a few days before the official squad announcement. “They called me two to three days prior and said it was time to move on,” he explained. “I didn’t react because it wasn’t my decision. Whoever made it must have thought it was best for the team.” Yadav also expressed complete faith in his successor, praising Iyer as a reliable player, captain, and person whom he has known for a long time.
However, the reality of the exclusion set in during the month and a half he subsequently spent at home. Despite the support of family and friends, Yadav admitted that isolation brought frustrating questions. “I was thinking—how can this happen? How is it possible? We just won the World Cup,” he recounted. “Yes, the IPL didn’t go as well as I wanted. But when everything was going so well, why the change? What was the reason for the change? That kept running through my mind.”
The abrupt exit derailed his long-term vision for the team. “I thought I would take this team forward for the next two years. The Olympics are coming up, then another T20 World Cup, and many other challenges,” he noted. “But what you think and what the other person thinks can be different.”
The candid admission highlights a stark contrast between Yadav’s phenomenal leadership record—having never lost a T20I series as captain—and the selectors’ mandate to build a future-ready squad, leaving fans to debate the timing of a successful captain’s controversial departure.