Indian T20 team captain Suryakumar Yadav has described the experience of winning two consecutive ICC T20 World Cups as very special. He said that when it was decided that the 2026 tournament would be played in India, the team had started preparations for it. Suryakumar told that the team had started making its strategy about 17-18 months ago and the players were also very excited about this challenge.
‘The importance will be felt later’
The Indian T20 captain said, ‘Winning two consecutive World Cups is a great experience in itself. When we came to know that this World Cup will be played in India, we started preparing for it. The players were very excited and we all knew what a big opportunity this was for us. He further said that it was also important to make the young players understand the importance of winning the World Cup. The captain said, ‘I told the players that when they are still 24-27 years old, they may not realize its full importance. But when he looks back at the end of his career, he will understand how many World Cups he has won.
Samson’s selection became the turning point
Suryakumar Yadav revealed that the inclusion of Sanju Samson in the team during the tournament was an important strategic decision, which changed the direction of the team. He told that at that time the team management felt the need to balance the batting order and Samson’s inclusion was a decision taken at the right time. Suryakumar said, ‘The course of the match changed after Samson joined the team. This was also a bit of a tactical decision because there were two-three left handed batsmen in the top order. Samson’s inclusion was a decision taken at the right time. He also praised Samson’s hard work. Suryakumar said, ‘He was working very hard behind the scenes. No one knew what he was going through. But the way he played throughout the tournament was brilliant and ultimately he became the player of the tournament.
Abhishek and Samson’s aggressive start in the final
India’s aggressive start in the final of T20 World Cup 2026 had boosted the confidence of the team. Especially the batting of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson created a positive atmosphere in the dugout. Suryakumar told that Abhishek Sharma was already full of confidence for this big occasion. He said, ‘Abhishek always used to tell me, ‘Paji, don’t worry, I will win the World Cup for you and play such an innings that you will always remember.’ There was a lot of positivity in him and the entire team was supporting him. He said that the players were confident that Abhishek’s big performance was coming soon. Suryakumar said, ‘We knew that his time was coming and there could not have been a better stage than the final.’
Special relationship with Gautam Gambhir
Suryakumar Yadav also shared interesting things about his relationship with Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir. He told that both of them know each other for a long time and there is no argument but discussion between them. Suryakumar said, ‘This is not a debate but a discussion. We have known each other for about 12 years. Our journey started when I went to KKR in 2014. He also told that the name SKY was given to him by Gambhir. Suryakumar said, ‘He was the one who named me ‘SKY’ and also made me the vice-captain of the team around 2015-16, because he was confident that I could lead the team in the future. Even today I call him ‘Gauti Bhai’. Suryakumar also told an interesting anecdote that during the entire tournament the team tried to make Gambhir laugh several times. He told, ‘We tried to make him laugh many times, but the matches were so intense that he did not smile much. However, when we saw the smile on their faces after winning the final, all the players became very happy.
Interesting story of Ishan Kishan’s selection
The decision to include Ishan Kishan in the T20 World Cup team was also quite interesting. Suryakumar Yadav said that this decision was not based entirely on data but was largely based on his experience and intuitive decision. He said that before this decision, the team management was in a difficult situation because Jitesh Sharma was also performing well for a long time. Suryakumar said, ‘This decision was largely based on my instinct, although the data was also looked at. It was a very difficult decision to keep Jitesh Sharma out because he was playing well for the last one and a half years. He told that the team needed additional aggression and left-right combination in the top order. Suryakumar told, ‘I called Ishaan and asked- Chhotu, will you win the World Cup? He replied- Brother, just trust and see. Then I said- Come on, I trusted you. And the way he played was brilliant.
The secret of Indian team’s fearless thinking
Suryakumar Yadav said that the foundation of the fearless cricket for which the Indian team is known today has been laid by many former captains. He said that every captain added his own distinct identity and style to the team. He said that Sourav Ganguly gave a new direction to the Indian team and instilled confidence in the players. After this, MS Dhoni led the team to many big successes with his calm and composed leadership. Then Virat Kohli established a new level of aggression and fitness in the team. Suryakumar said that after this, Rohit Sharma strengthened the culture of communication and support with the players. He said, ‘All these captains have had different styles and Indian cricket has benefited a lot from that. What we are achieving today is the result of the same foundation laid earlier.
Senior players played an important role
Suryakumar Yadav also admitted that despite being a young team, the senior players remained a strong support to the team throughout the tournament. He especially praised Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya. Suryakumar said, ‘I do not want to diminish the credit of the youth, but the way Bumrah, Akshar and Hardik stood by me throughout the tournament is praiseworthy.’
Captain also spoke on record win percentage
After Suryakumar Yadav became the captain, the Indian team has won 42 out of 52 matches, which is a great record. On this he said jokingly, ‘The percentage I used to get in studies in school and college is now getting in cricket. There I could not cross even 50-60 percent, but here I am feeling good. He said that the biggest reason for this success is the team working together. The captain said, ‘If all the players in the dressing room think in the same direction and work towards the same goal, only then this kind of success is achieved.’
The secret of calm nature as a captain
Suryakumar also spoke openly about his habit of always smiling on the field and never getting angry. He told that he has learned this style from Rohit Sharma. Suryakumar said, ‘While playing with Rohit Bhai, I saw that he never got very angry. He always understood the players. If there is an atmosphere of fear in the team then you cannot get the best performance from the players.
