New Delhi, June 7: Despite leading India to victory in the T20 World Cup 2026, Sunil Kumar Yadav has been dropped from the T20 team. Shreyas Iyer has been appointed as the new T20 captain. Here are three reasons why Sunil Kumar has been excluded from the Indian T20 plans.
Poor Form is the Main Reason: Since taking over as captain, Sunil Kumar has led the team to victories, but his form has significantly declined. In 45 matches as captain, he managed only 932 runs. In 2025, he played 20 innings without scoring a single half-century, averaging just 13.8 with a total of 221 runs. His poor performance has also put pressure on other batsmen, leading selectors to make this difficult decision.
Not Fitting into Future Plans: Sunil Kumar will turn 36 this year, which is another reason he does not fit into the selectors’ future plans. His declining form made it difficult for head coach Gautam Gambhir to defend him in front of the selectors. With the T20 World Cup and Olympics scheduled for 2028, selectors have decided to look ahead.
Iyer’s Strong Record Increased Pressure: The decision to drop Sunil Kumar was also influenced by Shreyas Iyer’s consistent performances. Under Iyer’s captaincy, Kolkata Knight Riders won the IPL 2024, and he led Punjab Kings to the finals in 2025. Iyer has been scoring runs consistently and proving his captaincy skills. Meanwhile, although Sunil Kumar showed strong leadership, his long-standing batting failures could no longer be overlooked by the selectors.
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