Suryakumar Yadav: Glory, and a place in Indian cricket folklore

India may have found another national icon. Suryakumar Yadav was one of the more underrated players to have led the star-studded India team. Whether the T20 World Cup triumph has elevated him to the stature of an MS Dhoni, a Rohit Sharma or a Kapil Dev will be known in time.

After Rohit Sharma retired following the 2024 World Cup win, Suryakumar was not initially in the reckoning for the leadership role. Hardik Pandya was the favourite. However, the BCCI, in consultation with chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir, felt Suryakumar was the right choice. The thinking was that Hardik, contributing with both bat and ball, could be better off without the additional burden of captaincy. Suryakumar walked into the history books as a World Cup-winning captain.

His journey began years earlier. One Sunday morning in December 2009 at Bombay Gymkhana, a young Suryakumar was playing shots rarely seen on Mumbai's maidans—scoops, reverse scoops, sweeps, and ramp shots. A Rajasthan Royals scout at the ground was struck by the youngster's array of strokes during a century innings.

The scout arranged a trial in Jaipur. By Tuesday, Suryakumar was at Sawai Mansingh Stadium for the Royals' trials. He batted impressively in a friendly game, playing audacious strokes, including a unique scoop/ramp into the stands. Shane Warne, scouting for the Royals, appeared impressed with the young batter, who was barely 19.

Suryakumar was eventually recruited by the Mumbai Indians, making his debut three years later, before a stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2014. He returned to Mumbai Indians four years later to become a franchise legend.

There's a backstory to his return to MI. An assistant coach at KKR reportedly insisted the franchise buy Nitish Rana after a standout performance against them. Given auction dynamics, KKR could not afford both and settled for Rana, while Suryakumar returned to the Mumbai Indians.

Since rejoining MI, he has displayed remarkable maturity. Mumbai cricket circles note he works tirelessly on his batting and fitness, practicing for hours at the Parsee Gymkhana ground, perfecting strokes ahead of their time.

"Sweeping is the new driving. The game has evolved. T20 is a fickle game. You have to maximise your time at the crease; it is all about return on investment," says Jatin Paranjpe, a former India cricketer and selector. "Surya has been amazing in understanding what the game demands, how he needs to change his own game, and what the overall needs of the team are. He has worked for hours practising the sweep, reverse sweep and ramp."

Suryakumar Yadav's India became the first-ever team to win the T20 World Cup at home

"The range of shot-making was always evident, as were the timing and power. I immediately thought he looked special and could comfortably walk into an IPL side," recalls Zubin Bharucha, the Rajasthan Royals scout. Bharucha regrets the Royals could not recruit him, as Warne was reportedly not impressed with his fitness and fielding at the time.

Years later, Suryakumar has transformed himself into one of the fittest players in the Indian team. A diving catch at Eden Gardens against the West Indies exemplified this change.

He explained his captaincy mantra on the eve of the World Cup final. "The mantra has been very clear – to stay in the present as much as possible. Handling pressure is all about how calm you are. Talking to each other helps to be calm and composed, and that's how one takes a positive call."

He treats teammates as friends, not as a father figure. "These guys don't let me talk much in the dressing room. I understood that nothing will happen by being a big brother. They have to be left free, only then can they give their best. Every player has different skills and strengths."

Suryakumar bought into Gautam Gambhir's philosophy of 'team first.' He revealed, "Nothing is more important for them than team goals. If someone wants to score a six on his first ball, then he should. That's the theory in this team." It is said that of all the captains who have worked with Gambhir, he has had the best equation with Suryakumar.

Suryakumar's leadership had come under scrutiny during the 2024-25 season, with reports suggesting some Mumbai players were not happy with his captaincy. "Good things happen to good people at the right time," said Khodadad Yazdegard, repeating Suryakumar's own words about Sanju Samson.

His big test came during the Asia Cup last year amid off-field controversies, including being the face of the Indian team's no-handshake policy against Pakistan. It was a challenging time for the relatively inexperienced skipper, but he carried himself with composure—much like he did during the T20 World Cup.

There has been debate about his media handling, but he walked out of Ahmedabad—where he made his India debut in 2021—as a hero. This time, nearly 90,000 voices were let loose by a captain who had sent the crowd into a frenzy.