Suryakumar Yadav of India poses for a photo with the trophy after winning the India-Sri Lanka 2026 Men’s World T20 World Cup Final between India and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium on March 8, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Prakash Singh/Getty Images) NEW DELHI: Riding high on a historic triumph in Ahmedabad, India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has revealed an ambitious plan: to lead India at the 2028 LA Olympics, win gold and defend the T20 World Cup later in Australia and New Zealand.“The next target is the Olympic gold and also the T20 World Cup that year,” a jubilant Surya told reporters after India beat New Zealand by 96 runs to become the first team to win back-to-back T20 World Cups.
Suryakumar Yadav made a spectacular comeback after India’s victory in the T20 World Cup
Surya is not wrong to set a high standard for the current India team, who have produced uncanny consistency in this format since taking over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma in 2024.Surya has impressive numbers as a captain. Since taking over the reins for the 2024 World Cup, India have been the team to beat in the shortest format. Under Surya, India played 52 matches, won 42 (including two in Super Overs) and lost only eight matches, with two matches ending in no result.
Suryakumar Yadav of India interacts with the crowd after the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India vs Sri Lanka 2026 final between India and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium on March 8, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Prakash Singh/Getty Images)
The record under Surya is enviable, but with talent waiting in the wings, age not on his side, poor form and a cloud over an injured wrist, he may not be the right man to lead India into the future.Ahead of the T20 World Cup, Surya’s form took a sharp dip. He went 23 innings without a fifty. At the time, his strike tally was below 120. But he bounced back in style at the right time just before the T20 World Cup, taking three fifties against New Zealand in a five-match T20I series. He carried that form into the T20 World Cup when he scored a magnificent 84 off 49 balls in India’s opener against the USA.After that, Surya again fought with his form. In the tournament, he scored 242 runs in nine innings at an average of 30.25 and a strike rate of 136.72. He crossed 30 three times – against Pakistan, Netherlands and Zimbabwe – and looked shaky against quality spin in the middle overs.
AHMEDABAD, INDIA – MARCH 08: Suryakumar Yadav of India reacts during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 final between India and New Zealand at Narendra Modi Stadium on March 08, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
In Delhi against Namibia, 35-year-old left-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz made up for it. On the dual surface at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Surya looked at sea against the Pakistani trio of Saim Ayub, Usman Tariq and Mohammad Nawaz. Surya’s 29-ball 32 took the momentum after Ishan Kishan’s fiery start.In the next match against Netherlands, he stopped the action again with a 28-ball 34. Had it not been for Shivam Dube’s 31-ball 66 and Hardik Pandya’s lusty hitting, India could have been in danger as the margin of victory was just 17 runs.Against South Africa, Surya scored 18 off 22 balls during a careful stay at the crease. The Indian skipper found his groove against Zimbabwe in Chennai with a fiery 33 off 13 balls. It was his second major knock of the tournament.
AHMEDABAD, INDIA – MARCH 08: Suryakumar Yadav of India reacts during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 final between India and New Zealand at Narendra Modi Stadium on March 08, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
He faltered again in the virtual quarter-final against the West Indies at the Eden Gardens. His 16-ball 18 sapped the momentum of the high-scoring chase.In the semi-final, on a belter at the Wankhede where balls were flying, Surya bowled Adil Rashid. It was the second time in the tournament that he was caught out hunting.In the final over, when India were cruising at 200 in the 15th over, he chose to go into bat instead of sending in the in-form Tilak Varma or Shivam Dube. However, his stay lasted only one ball when he went for the golden duck.
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Despite his failings with the bat, he became the third Indian captain to lead the side to the T20 World Cup title, following in the footsteps of MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.With Jasprit Bumrah’s golden four overs, India will once again go to LA 2028 and the next T20 World Cup as favourites, and that’s not clear. But Surya may not be the right person to lead India in the Olympics and the next T20 World Cup. India should thank Surya for his service and start preparing a plan under a new captain.
