Former Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif has praised India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, calling him the best replacement to Rohit Sharma in the shortest format. According to Kaif, India’s smooth transition into T20 cricket following the retirement of stalwarts Rohit and Virat Kohli has been aided by a fearless new batting core and a skipper who precisely reflects the team’s aggressive style of play.
Rohit retired from T20Is with an outstanding captaincy record, highlighted by a stunning World Cup victory in Barbados last year. Suryakumar has had an equally good start as India’s full-time captain. Under his leadership, the Men in Blue have won 19 of 23 matches, demonstrating his tactical skill as well as his ability to encourage the team in crisis situations.
“With the bat, he [Suryakumar] produced the winning hit, went unbeaten, and the way he replied to the media, talked about the things that show he has the ability as a skipper. The things that need to be taken care of on the day. Such a big game between India and Pakistan, and he turned out to be a true leader fairly. So, I do not doubt in my mind that he is a proper replacement for Rohit Sharma as skipper. The way he smiles while talking, his bat always does the talking,” Kaif said in an Instagram reel.
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Mohammad Kaif also lauded Suryakumar’s astute use of all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Abhishek Sharma in the recent clash against Pakistan.
Both players were deployed with precision in crucial moments, helping India register a comfortable win to qualify for the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2025. Kaif emphasised that such proactive decision-making reflects Suryakumar’s growing maturity as a leader.
“Captaincy is brilliant. Hardik Pandya is bowling with the new ball; Abhishek Sharma is also bowling one or two overs in the middle. He’s managed things rightly. As captain, he has led in 24 matches and won 20 [actually 19 matches, excluding a tie] games. I do not doubt that he is on the way to becoming a great leader,” Kaif added.
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