Suryakumar Yadav will captain India in their upcoming four-match T20I series against South Africa, starting Friday (November 8). The team will be looking to bounce back after their 0-3 whitewash by New Zealand in the three-match Test series at home.
Suryakumar was not part of the Test squad against New Zealand, having made just one appearance for India in that format. India’s poor performance at home against New Zealand has brought Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir under scrutiny. The Kiwis handed India a rare whitewash just before the Australia tour, sparking significant concerns.
Ahead of the highly anticipated five-match Test series, Suryakumar expressed his support for Rohit:
“In sports, wins and losses are part of the game. Everyone puts in the effort to win, but sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn’t. I’ve learned this from him (Rohit) – staying balanced is key in life. I’ve never seen his character change, regardless of the situation. I’ve witnessed his growth both as a player and as a leader.”
“A leader wants to define how the team wants to play the format. A captain always wants to win, but a leader defines a style.”
Suryakumar Yadav on his return to Test cricket
Ahead of the South Africa series, Suryakumar expressed his hopes for a Test comeback and shared that he is actively participating in all domestic tournaments, both red-ball and white-ball.
“When the time comes, I will make a Test comeback. I play in every domestic tournament, whether it’s red-ball or white-ball. I don’t skip any games. If a Test return is meant to happen, it will,” he said.
Suryakumar’s only Test appearance was against Australia in 2023, where he scored eight runs in his only innings. That same year, he was named a reserve player for the World Test Championship final. Reflecting on Rohit Sharma’s recent form, Suryakumar said:
“Regardless of whether Rohit is performing well or not, his character remains the same. That’s a quality every athlete should have.”
Suryakumar has played 84 first-class matches, amassing 5,656 runs at an average of 42.84, including 14 centuries and 29 half-centuries from 140 innings, with a high score of 200.
He briefly captained the Mumbai team during the 2014-15 Ranji Trophy season before being replaced midway through the campaign. He scored 690 runs in ten matches that season and was also part of the Mumbai squad that won the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy title.
He was one of the top five run-scorers of the season, amassing 788 runs, including three centuries, with a standout knock of 115 runs in the second innings of the semi-final against Madhya Pradesh. He also reached the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy final, though Mumbai was defeated by Gujarat in the title match.
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