Suryakumar Yadav, India's T20I captain, is gearing up to lead the team's title defense at the upcoming T20 World Cup next month. Known for his aggressive batting style, Suryakumar is considered a modern blueprint for a T20I superstar.
Recently, Suryakumar Yadav achieved a significant milestone, receiving his 100th cap for India in the T20 format. He is only the third Indian player to achieve this feat, following Hardik Pandya, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
India began their T20 World Cup preparations with a 48-run victory against New Zealand in the first T20I. Following this, in the second T20I against New Zealand in Raipur on January 23, 2026, Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan's rapid fifties secured a seven-wicket victory. Suryakumar hammered an unbeaten 82, while Kishan contributed a blistering 76, helping India chase down a target of 209 with 28 balls to spare and secure a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. New Zealand had set a commanding 208-6, with captain Mitchell Santner top-scoring with an unbeaten 47.
Yadav's innings was not without its challenges, as he was dropped three times. Despite this, he capitalized, reaching his first half-century in 24 T20Is, finishing with 82 not out from 37 balls, including nine fours and four sixes.
While Suryakumar is celebrated as a T20 specialist, his ODI record is less impressive, with no centuries in 37 matches. However, his impact in T20Is is undeniable, with 2,788 runs at an average of 35.29 and a strike rate of 163.23. He has also scored four T20I centuries, only behind Glenn Maxwell and Rohit Sharma.
Despite his recent form slump, where he only managed 388 runs in 26 innings since the start of October 2024, with an average of 16.86, Suryakumar's recent performance indicates a return to form just in time for the World Cup.
In the 2024 T20 World Cup final, Suryakumar took a catch to dismiss David Miller, securing a historic win for India. After the World Cup win, he was appointed as the full-time captain of India's T20 team. Suryakumar also led the team that won the Asia Cup in 2025.
