Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav is not getting the recognition his leadership deserves, despite his remarkable results since taking over the role. Pathan feels that Suryakumar’s style and impact as a captain carries clear shades of Rohit Sharma, especially in the way he directs the players and leads from the front.
In an interview with RevSportz, Pathan asked why the Indian captain’s achievements have been largely under the radar.
“We don’t celebrate Surya – the captain that much, for whatever reason. His win percentage as a captain in T20Is is 84 per cent, the highest we have. Why don’t we celebrate him as a captain? People don’t give him that much credit,” Pathan said.
“He is the leader of the bowlers. I see a shadow of Rohit Sharma in him, the way he looks after the bowlers, he is very lively, very involved in the game and many a times he makes the right decisions for the team,” he added.
Suryakumar Yadav: India’s new captain
Suryakumar Yadav took over from Rohit Sharma after India’s success in the 2024 T20 World Cup and guided the side through a seamless transition. His aggressive, fearless approach, in line with head coach Gautam Gambhir’s vision, has delivered consistently, with India winning 31 out of 41 T20Is, winning the 2025 Asia Cup and remaining unbeaten in seven bilateral series.
While Suryakumar’s leadership numbers were excellent, his personal form with the bat came under scrutiny last year. The Indian skipper endured a tough 2025, managing just 218 runs in 21 matches at an average of under 14. However, Pathan stressed how important it was for the skipper to rediscover his rhythm ahead of the T20 World Cup.
“It was very important for him to feel good about himself. As a captain, he was always going to play the World Cup, but to go into the World Cup with runs, that was key for him,” Pathan said, adding that he always believed Suryakumar would come good.
This faith was rewarded. Suryakumar found his touch again in the ongoing home series against New Zealand, he registered back-to-back fifties and showed signs of his signature fearless pull game. It was his first half-century since October 2024 and it has come at an ideal time as India prepares for the World Cup next month.
The T20 World Cup 2026 is just a few days away India now head into the T20I final against New Zealand the series has already ended 3:1. The match will be India’s last in this format before the tournament begins on February 7, where Suryakumar’s side will be looking to defend their title, bringing good results, renewed batting confidence and an established leadership group on the world stage.
– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
January 31, 2026
