Suryakumar Yadav has kicked off his T20I captaincy with consecutive victories over Sri Lanka, securing the three-match series. Although he has previously captained India against Australia and South Africa, the dynamics have shifted. Scott Styris noted that new head coach Gautam Gambhir didn’t receive a natural leader, as Surya is viewed as a temporary choice for the Indian team. Despite this, Surya’s initial success highlights his capability to steer the team effectively in the short term.
Scott Styris Shared His View on Gautam Gambhir’s Decision:
He is no longer just an interim captain; the selectors have chosen Suryakumar Yadav as Rohit Sharma’s successor after leading India to the 2024 T20 World Cup victory. With Gautam Gambhir as head coach and positive feedback from the selection committee, Surya was chosen over Hardik Pandya for this significant role. Tagged as a T20I specialist, Surya has been excluded from the ODI squad for now.
Former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris remarked that with Gautam Gambhir stepping in as head coach, India didn’t acquire a natural leader in Suryakumar Yadav. Styris indicated that Surya is perceived as a temporary captain for the team, rather than a long-term solution.
He said, “ I think he’s a short-term option. I don’t think Gambhir has a natural captain amongst the players that he has right now. He’s buying himself time as to who will be the next long-term captain.”
The selectors have promoted Shubman Gill to vice-captain in white-ball cricket, preparing him for future captaincy. Scott Styris believes the BCCI views Shubman as a future captain but acknowledges he’s not ready yet. Therefore, they wisely appointed Suryakumar Yadav as the current captain, allowing Shubman more time to develop.
He further said, “ You know, someone like Gill I think could do the job for 10 years for India, but he’s not quite ready right now, so I think it was a really smart decision to bring in someone with a bit more experience. “
Scott Styris also proposed that if Suryakumar Yadav performs well, he could be in line to captain India in the next T20 World Cup, where they will defend their title. This opportunity hinges on his continued success and leadership in the interim.
He concluded, “ If he (SKY) does a decent enough job, then he might be the captain at the next T20 World Cup. And then after that, you can look at Gill or any of the other potential options around. But yeah, I think it’s a really clever decision.”
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