Mumbai, June 4: Former Indian wicketkeeper and chief selector MSK Prasad cautioned against the removal of Suryakumar Yadav from the T20 captaincy, stating that such a move would not be appropriate at this time. He emphasized that selectors should focus on grooming young leaders moving forward.
Despite scoring several half-centuries in the bilateral series against New Zealand earlier this year and a match-winning innings against the USA in the T20 World Cup, Suryakumar has struggled with consistency. Under his leadership, India won the T20 World Cup, but his performance in IPL 2026 was lackluster, amassing only 270 runs in 13 matches with a strike rate of 147.54 and just two half-centuries.
The Indian selectors will meet in Mumbai on Saturday to finalize the team for two matches against Ireland on June 26 and 28, as well as five T20 matches in England from July 1 to 11. Additionally, they will select the India A team for two red-ball matches against Sri Lanka A. This has led to discussions about Suryakumar’s future as T20 captain.
In an exclusive conversation, Prasad stated, “The biggest question is whether you are sending your first team or a second-tier team. If it’s the first team, it wouldn’t be right to overlook Suryakumar, especially since he recently led us to another T20 World Cup victory.”
He further noted, “Ideally, in the next five to six months, you need to prepare your next leaders. Axar Patel was the vice-captain until we won the T20 World Cup. Looking ahead, we need to nurture young leaders. It would be beneficial to identify a player who can serve as Suryakumar’s deputy. He is a fantastic player.”
Prasad acknowledged that Suryakumar has been going through a rough patch for the past year and a half but advised patience. “I know he has faced challenges recently. We also have emerging players like Rajat Patidar, who deserve a chance. However, I believe removing Suryakumar now would send the wrong message. Give him a few more series, and if his struggles continue, you will have a vice-captain ready to take over.”
When asked about potential successors such as ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, and Tilak Varma, Prasad mentioned, “Hardik is a strong contender. Shreyas is also a potential candidate. Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, and Sanju Samson are in the mix as well.”
He added, “Sanju has captained Rajasthan Royals for a long time. Ishan recently led and showcased his talent as a captain. Tilak Varma is also a promising player. We believe he could be the answer for Indian T20 cricket in the coming years.”
Prasad continued, “Thus, they are not bad options. Rajat Patidar, who has led RCB to back-to-back IPL titles, should also be considered. I’m not sure what the thoughts on captaincy will be, but they should definitely be monitored. You have no shortage of options. But the question remains: are you sending the first team or the second team?”
Shreyas Iyer, considered a frontrunner to replace Suryakumar, has a strong captaincy record. He led Kolkata Knight Riders to an IPL title in 2024 and took Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings to the finals in 2020 and 2025, respectively.
Ishan Kishan captained Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026 in the absence of Pat Cummins. Previously, he led Jharkhand to a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy victory. Tilak Varma has been the regular captain of the India A white-ball team and will also lead the team in the upcoming triangular series in Sri Lanka starting June 9.
Sanju Samson has previously taken Rajasthan Royals to the IPL 2022 final and was Player of the Tournament in India’s T20 World Cup victory. Hardik Pandya has captained India in Rohit Sharma’s absence and led Gujarat Titans to an IPL title in 2022, although his captaincy stint with Mumbai Indians was less successful.
Prasad also suggested that players participating in both the T20 World Cup and IPL should be rested for the Ireland and England tours. “If you look at it, all players who played in the World Cup appeared fatigued and mentally burdened during the IPL. So why not give them a break and provide opportunities to those who performed well in the IPL?”
He concluded, “In this scenario, you could assign captaincy responsibilities to Shreyas Iyer or another potential future leader. I believe Shreyas is a strong candidate. Send him to Ireland, as I am confident he can lead the team to victory.”
Prasad emphasized the importance of giving rest to players who seem physically and mentally exhausted.
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