Despite being comfortably seated on a lounge chair at an upscale resort in Bengaluru, with a pleasant breeze blowing across, Mumbai coach Vinayak Samant was a man besieged by concern in September 2019. He made a casual remark, one that echoed the sentiment many former Mumbai cricketers expressed whenever the team underperformed in a domestic tournament: “Our players don’t value the Mumbai cap these days.”
Setting aside his concerns, Samant knew that acknowledging the problem was only the first step; as the coach, it was up to him to implement the solution. He had a bold plan, stating, “I want to make Suryakumar Yadav the captain of the team.”
At first glance, it seemed a risky move. Suryakumar had ample experience as a player and undeniable tactical acumen. However, his previous tenure as captain, back in the 2014-15 season, had ended disastrously. There were reports of anger issues, resentment among teammates, complaints lodged with the association, and his eventual removal from captaincy mid-season. Could four and a half years transform him into a different person, player, and leader?
Samant, however, had observed a noticeable change in Suryakumar. He saw how younger players enjoyed his company, how Suryakumar went out of his way to support them, offering guidance balanced with discipline and affection. Samant shared his observations with Ajit Agarkar, then the chief selector of Mumbai, and the idea was seriously considered.
When it came time to ask Suryakumar about his readiness to captain Mumbai once again, his face brightened. There was a flash of a smile and, after a brief pause of disbelief, he spoke the words his coach had hoped to hear: he spoke of the ‘honour of leading Mumbai’ and ‘pride’, among other captaincy clichés. More crucially, he admitted to the mistakes he had made during his previous stint and reassured that he had grown calmer over the years. Many had noted this change in him, but the question lingered—had he transformed enough to be trustworthy as a captain?
Suryakumar’s second tenure as captain began in December that year. However, it was short-lived due to a group stage exit in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, followed by the pandemic and his elevation to the national team. This limited run meant he couldn’t leave a lasting impression to erase the memories of his forgettable 2014-15 tenure.
Fast forward to 2024, and Suryakumar Yadav, in less than four years since his international debut, has assumed the most high-pressure role in Indian cricket. He has leapfrogged several other candidates being groomed to take over from Rohit Sharma.
. What’s intriguing about Suryakumar’s appointment is that it’s rare for a player who has never captained an IPL team to lead the Indian cricket team.
The player once ousted from captaincy following complaints from his teammates has now found himself in the same position with the national team, bolstered by the support of a new set of teammates. Despite making his first-class debut nearly 14 years ago, little is known about Suryakumar Yadav as a captain. Many in the Indian men’s leadership group, including head coach Gautam Gambhir, chief selector Ajit Agarkar, and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, have worked closely with him for years. They may be well-acquainted with his strengths and weaknesses, but their understanding of his captaincy skills is largely speculative.
Will Suryakumar easily earn the trust of his teammates? How will he handle the pressure of captaincy? Will his batting be affected by this new responsibility? Suryakumar describes his personal transformation as a “complete swap”. “In 10 years, a lot of things change. You become a different person altogether; you learn a lot of things. I’m also a completely changed man now,” he said, a day ahead of the first T20I against Sri Lanka.
But what exactly is this new version that has been evolving since 2016? The limited captaincy opportunities he has had—in seven T20Is and an IPL game—were all in a makeshift capacity. This provides only a narrow window into what Suryakumar as a captain might be like.
During the years away from leadership, Suryakumar played long spells under two successful captains—Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir—and earned their trust. Both leaders had a profound impact on his career. Suryakumar acknowledges their influence and expressed a desire to carry forward their work, playing their brand of cricket but in his own style.
A pivotal moment in his cricketing dream has been realized, and a plan is set. Now, it’s execution time. While there might be some apprehension, Vinayak Samant’s conviction remains unwavering: Suryakumar is the ideal candidate for captaincy, a brilliant reader of the game, and an assuring figure for the younger players.
The selectors have placed their bet on Suryakumar, and now, as he takes on the most scrutinized role in Indian cricket, the story of Suryakumar Yadav, the captain, 2.0, is his to write.