Head coach Gautam Gambhir heaped praise on Suryakumar Yadav’s ability to connect with the players and said that the skipper has made life much easier for him as a coach in the shortest format of the game. Speaking to television stations during the T20 World Cup campaign in India, Gambhir highlighted the impact Suryakumar has had on the current squad with his leadership skills.
“Surya has made my life a lot easier in this format,” Gambhir, who has had the most success as a coach in T20Is, told Star Sports.
Gambhir said enough has been said about Suryakumar’s batting prowess – his experience and signature 360-degree range – but it is his calming influence in the dressing room that really sets him apart.
“I think he is a phenomenal leader of men – not what he does on the field, not the type of batsman, not the type of shots he plays. You can leave all that aside. But the way he treats the players, the way he talks to the players and how relaxed he is on the field,” Gambhir said.
“As a coach, you know you can think about other things because he will keep the atmosphere quite calm. Surya, the player, I can stay on the sidelines, but Surya, the leader, has ticked every box. It’s great to have someone like him leading the country because his heart is in the right place and he makes the right decisions for the team.”
SURYA SPECIAL IN MUMBAI
Gambhir’s comments came a day after Suryakumar played one of his best T20I knocks to help India survive a scare against the USA in their FIFA World Cup T20 opener in Mumbai on Saturday.
India were struggling at 77 for 6 in the 13th over after USA won the toss and elected to field. The Americans appeared to be on their way to restricting India to a below par amount but Suryakumar played a brilliant 84 off 49 balls raise the side to 161 in 9 to 20 overs.
Suryakumar remained composed and found a way to score on a surface at the Wankhede Stadium that was unusually unsuited to the flowing strokeplay, with the ball stalling and not hitting the bat as nicely as expected.
Using his range and familiar 360-degree approach, he handled the bowling threat expertly, hitting 10 boundaries and four sixes.
On the field, Suryakumar also marshaled his bowling resources impressively, backing his front-line bowlers to stay in the hunt for wickets rather than turning to part-time options. USA were eventually restricted to 132 for 8 from their 20 overs as India survived a shaky opening day encounter.
India will look to improve as they progress deeper into the tournament. The defending champions came to the World Cup as outright favourites, destroying opponents with bat and ball in bilateral series. Since taking over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar has led India in 44 matches, winning 35 and losing just seven.
The Indian team, including captain Suryakumar, arrived in Delhi on Sunday ahead of their next Group A match against Namibia, scheduled for February 12. Coach Gambhir hosted the players for a special dinner at his residence in New Delhi, ensuring that the team took a break from the rigors of training, traveling and competing during the World Cup.
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Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
February 9, 2026
