Indian T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has enjoyed a largely successful tenure so far. Having led the team for over a year, he is yet to lose a series as skipper. In the fourth T20I against Australia, Suryakumar received praise for his tactical bowling changes, using his diverse array of options to restrict the strong Australian batting line-up to just 119.
Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif highlighted Suryakumar’s unpredictability as captain, noting that he does not rely on a fixed plan. Kaif added that Suryakumar maintains flexibility in his decision-making, both in terms of bowling rotations and batting strategies.
“I see Suryakumar, as captain, does not want to move ahead with any fixed plan. For example, if a right-hander is on strike, he brings on Axar Patel. It does not matter to him if Washington Sundar isn’t getting any overs; he chooses the bowler who can create pressure during a particular situation. On a turning track, Arshdeep Singh might bowl only two overs, spinners might bowl more. He said in an interview as well that he uses bowlers based on the situation and the pitch conditions to get the job done,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
Suryakumar’s strategic shuffling of the batting order has become a recurring feature of his leadership.
He has sacrificed his usual No. 3 spot to accommodate other players, bringing in Sanju Samson in the third T20I and Shivam Dube in the fourth, a move that surprised many.
If India wins the final T20I, it would mark Suryakumar’s fifth consecutive bilateral series victory as captain. Under his leadership, India have convincingly defeated Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, South Africa, and England in separate bilateral series, in addition to remaining unbeaten in the 2025 Asia Cup.
“The same approach goes towards the batting plan. Why Dube at No. 3? Because when Abhishek Sharma got out in the seventh over, the spinners were bowling. Adam Zampa had four overs left, Glenn Maxwell might’ve bowled too. So, they sent Dube because he hits big shots and can handle spinners well. He was given the freedom to play his shots,” Kaif said.
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