India's dynamic T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, has revealed a poignant personal regret from his cricketing career: the missed opportunity to play for the national team under the legendary leadership of MS Dhoni. The revelation came during a recent event in Hyderabad, where the 35-year-old batter reflected on his journey through the ranks of Indian cricket.
A Decade-Long Wait and Leadership Lessons
Despite beginning his domestic career with Mumbai in 2010, Suryakumar Yadav's path to the international stage was a long one. He finally earned his India cap in 2021 against England in Ahmedabad, debuting under the captaincy of Virat Kohli. This meant the window to play under Dhoni, who had stepped down from limited-overs captaincy in 2017, had already closed.
"I always wanted to get an opportunity when he was the captain of India. But I never got it," Suryakumar expressed with evident disappointment. He noted that while he faced Dhoni multiple times in the Indian Premier League (IPL), sharing the dressing room with him for India remained an unfulfilled dream. From observing Dhoni from the opposition, Suryakumar learned a critical lesson: "to stay relaxed in all pressure situations." He admired how Dhoni would calmly assess the game before making crucial decisions.
Experiences Under Kohli and Rohit's Captaincy
Detailing his experiences with the captains he did play under, Suryakumar described Virat Kohli as a "hard task master" full of relentless energy. "He pushes your limits, and he wants the best... he was full of energy on the field and off the field as well. He was a bit different," Suryakumar shared about his debut captain.
His cricketing philosophy was further shaped under Rohit Sharma, with whom he shared a long association both at the Mumbai Indians in the IPL and for the Indian team. He was a key member of Rohit's squad that clinched the T20 World Cup 2024 in Barbados, taking the famous match-winning catch in the final against South Africa. Praising Rohit's accessible leadership style, Suryakumar said, "He is someone who gets everyone comfortable around them... His door was open 24/7 for everyone."
From Debutant to Trophy-Winning Captain
Suryakumar's consistent and explosive performances paved the way for his own leadership role. He eventually took over the reins of India's T20I team from Rohit Sharma. His captaincy tenure has already seen significant success, most notably leading India to victory in the Asia Cup in Dubai.
This journey from a domestic cricket stalwart waiting over a decade for his chance to the captain of the national T20 side underscores a remarkable career progression. While he never got to experience Dhoni's captaincy firsthand, the lessons absorbed from all his leaders have clearly contributed to moulding India's latest white-ball skipper.
