Suryakumar Yadav breaks silence on shock India snub after T20 World Cup win: ‘Whatever call someone...’

Suryakumar Yadav has finally opened up about the surprise decision to leave him out of India's T20I squad shortly after leading the country to the T20 World Cup title earlier this year. The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee opted to look beyond the World Cup-winning skipper, handing the captaincy to Shreyas Iyer for India's upcoming series against Ireland and England.

Suryakumar's prolonged struggle for runs was widely viewed as one of the major factors behind the selectors' decision. The right-hander had endured a difficult period with the bat over the past two years, despite maintaining an unbeaten record as India's T20I captain.

The 35-year-old revealed that his first response to being dropped was surprisingly calm. Rather than questioning the selectors' decision, Suryakumar said he tried to understand their perspective and accepted that they had to make what they believed was the best decision for the team's future.

“I smiled when my name was not there. Because when I played cricket with the team for a year or two, and whenever I am playing, so whenever I have been in situations like where there is pressure, where things are not going my way, I have always smiled. I have relaxed. And this is what I have seen: the moments in the past when I have had opportunities to do well. I have been grateful,” said Suryakumar during a conversation with former India batter Aakash Chopra on the latter's YouTube channel.

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The India batter admitted, however, that he had expected to continue leading the side after the 2026 T20 World Cup. With another T20 World Cup and the Olympics on the horizon, Suryakumar believed he would remain at the helm for at least another couple of years.

“Obviously, the situation that has come now, even I had not thought that this would happen. After coming in 2026, I felt that, going forward, I would be taking this team forward for another two years. The Olympics will come. Then there will be another T20 World Cup, another challenge going forward. But at the same time, what you think and what the other person thinks are two different things. It is important for them to respect their own thoughts. If they thought that going forward, this is a better call, they took that call. But I didn't react. Because I felt that this was their call. They took that call in that moment. Going forward, if this team can do well under someone else, no problem,” he added.

While Suryakumar accepted Shreyas Iyer's appointment as captain and had no issue with the decision to hand over the leadership to his former teammate, he conceded that the selectors' call eventually began to weigh heavily on him.

India had not lost a T20I series during Suryakumar's captaincy and had also gone on to win the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup under his leadership. That record made the decision particularly difficult for him to comprehend.

“I have seen the team that they have chosen. I have also played a lot of cricket with Shreyas. And I know he is a good player, a good human being, and a good captain also. So, I was not like, ‘Why did they make him the captain?’ But yes, I was a little disappointed. Because you have not lost a single series in two years. You have won the World Cup and the Asia Cup. Then you want the same thing to go forward. Because when everything is going well, then why? What is the reason for the change? What is the reason for the change? It was going on in my mind. I was sitting at home for a month and a half,” said SKY.

Suryakumar also admitted that the decision affected him more when he was alone. Despite friends and family reassuring him that being dropped was simply part of professional sport, the India star said he continued to wonder how he could have gone from winning the World Cup to being left out of the national side.

“I was thinking, how can this happen? How is it possible? We just won the World Cup. Yes, IPL was not as good as how I wanted. We were sitting at home. Friends came, family came. Everyone said that it's okay. Part of life. But then, when they leave the house. We stay alone at home,” he added.

Suryakumar further revealed that the selectors had contacted him shortly before the squad announcement and personally informed him that he would not be part of India's team for the England series.

“They called me 2-3 days before the team was announced. They called me, saying it's time to move on. I didn't react. Because it's not my fault. That's not how SKY has ever been. Whatever call someone took. He must have thought that this was better for the team. Going forward, this will be a good call. You took the call. You told me. There is no problem,” said SKY.

Despite being disappointed by the decision, Suryakumar made it clear that he has no plans to walk away from the game. He insisted that he remains available for India and will continue playing domestic and competitive cricket, leaving the door open for a potential return whenever the selectors believe the time is right.

“I am ready. You can call me anytime. I am playing cricket anytime. I will continue to play. Whenever you feel the time is right. Things are right,” he added.

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