‘I was shocked to see Suryakumar Yadav elevated as captain. Hardik Pandya…’: Former India batting coach changes stance

Just a month before Suryakumar Yadav turned 34, he was named India's T20I captain. It's the ultimate thing for any cricketer. More so if you had made your international debut barely three years ago, Suryakumar played his first international match in March 2021. in July 2024, he became India's T20I captain. He had, in fact, led India for the last time in November 2023 when regulars Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya were rested. It is rare in Indian cricket for someone to get captaincy duties so early. Then again, Suryakumar Yadav was no ordinary cricketer. In these years, he rose to become one of the best T20I batters in the world. India's Hardik Pandya, left, celebrates with captain Suryakumar Yadav(PTI)

Despite this, he was behind Hardik Pandya in the pecking order, who had led India between the 2022 and 2024 T20 World Cups, as Rohit spent most of his time playing only ODIs and Tests. Pandya was also India's official vice-captain in their World Cup-winning run in 2024.

For former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar, it was, therefore, a bit of a surprise when India went ahead with Surya as their next T20I captain and not Pandya after the World Cup success.

“Honestly, I was shocked that he was elevated to captain because, until that point, Hardik Pandya was the captain-designate," Bangar said in the latest episode of Deep Point on Star Sports.

The former India all-rounder, however, has changed his stance since then. “The way he handled that transition shows his great man-management skills. It’s still early days, but he’s the best fit for this young squad after the retirements of Jadeja, Kohli, and Rohit. That’s a big plus—he can be the leader of this new generation, someone who is one among them,” he said.

Bangar explained how the 34-year-old batter’s ability is enhanced by his imagination and adaptability. "The method to this madness is proactiveness. It takes a lot of imagination, courage, and the ability to anticipate where the ball is coming from before it’s even bowled—that’s his hallmark. During the Asia Cup, we analysed how, when bowlers try to adjust their deliveries after Surya gets into position, he still has another option to punish them. That’s his special ability. There are many players who can hit across 360 degrees, but his ability to abandon his plan and react to a delivery is amazing."

India have secured 16 wins and four losses in T20Is under Suryakumar Yadav’s captaincy. His status as the team's best player is what makes Manjrekar believe he is the perfect choice to continue leading them. "He has a great temperament. Throughout his career, you can see that after a strong innings, he always has a smile during his interviews. He’s light-hearted. Just like Bumrah for India's Test captaincy, SKY is by far the best player on this T20I team."

Manjrekar also emphasized the importance of strong coaching support for Yadav’s captaincy. "In T20Is, if you have a great coach working alongside the captain, because you need outside inputs, I think he could be a great long-term leader. I’m very excited to see if he has any say in team selection because I’m looking forward to watching players like Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh making a comeback, and even Varun Chakravarthy getting a chance."

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