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Newly appointed Team India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav opened up about his relationship with head coach Gautam Gambhir ahead of their first assignment together in Sri Lanka. The Men in Blue are scheduled to play three T20Is and three ODIs, beginning on Saturday, July 27.
Electing Suryakumar Yadav as full-time T20I skipper was one of the first decisions Gambhir took after officially taking over from Rahul Dravid as head coach. All-rounder Hardik Pandya was initially touted to hold the role following Rohit Sharma's T20I retirement, but he was overlooked due to fitness and workload concerns.
Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir go back a long way. In fact, it was the latter who coined the iconic 'SKY' nickname for the former during their time together at the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Suryakumar got his IPL breakthrough after a forgettable first stint with the Mumbai Indians (MI).
"My relationship with him is quite special because I played under him in IPL 2014, and from there I started to get more opportunities. Teen kadam chale aur aap bhi do kadam aaye, aur beech mei kahi toh mile (Walked three steps, and you walked two steps, and we met along the way). It was that kind of a relationship, and it is still the same to this day. He knows how I work and my mindset for the game. Very excited to see how it goes forward," Suryakumar Yadav said in a video released by the BCCI.
Team India heads into the series against Sri Lanka as the T20 champions, having recently won the T20 World Cup 2024 in the United States of America (USA) and the West Indies.
"I've always enjoyed being a leader on the field even if I was not the captain" - Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav has the task of overseeing the transition following the retirement of several senior players, and getting the squad ready for the 2026 T20 World Cup, slated to be held in India and Sri Lanka.
This is not your life, this is only a part of your life. When you do well you stay on top and when you are not doing well, you go underground, that is one thing which I feel you should not do as a sportsman, not only a cricketer. That's what helps me create balance in my life, so if you are a good person, then everything happens good," Suryakumar said in the same video.
I've always enjoyed being a leader on the field even if I was not the captain. I've learnt a lot of things while playing under different captains. So it's a good feeling and a great responsibility," he added.
Suryakumar Yadav led India for the first time post the 2023 ODI World Cup window. He guided the Men in Blue to a 4-1 series win over Australia and a 1-1 draw against South Africa. He has also led the Mumbai Indians (MI) on sporadic occasions in the past.
