Suryakumar Yadav admits fear of losing T20I captaincy to Shubman Gill

The rise of Shubman Gill marks the beginning of a new chapter in Indian cricket. At just 26, Gill has been earmarked as the future leader across all formats, already captaining the national team in Tests and ODIs. In T20Is, he currently serves as vice-captain under 35-year-old Suryakumar Yadav, who took charge following India’s T20 World Cup 2025 triumph. Many believe that Gill will naturally succeed Suryakumar as T20I captain once the latter steps down.

In a recent interaction, Suryakumar candidly addressed his feelings about the prospect of handing over the reins.

“I won’t deny it. Everyone has that fear. But it’s the kind of fear that keeps you driven. I’m genuinely happy for him (Gill) to be leading in two formats. The bond between us, both on and off the field, is fantastic. I know what kind of player and person he is, and that only motivates me to perform better. I’m really happy for his success," said Suryakumar.

Suryakumar emphasized that he doesn’t allow such fears to affect his game. “If I were someone who got influenced by these things, I wouldn’t have played my first ball in international cricket the way I did. I’ve long left that fear behind. As long as I’m working hard, staying disciplined, and being honest with myself, everything else will fall into place," he said.

Also Read: How Suryakumar Yadav can get back his top T20I form?

Recently, Suryakumar celebrated his first major title as India’s captain, leading the team to victory in the 2025 Asia Cup. Once the world’s top-ranked T20I batter for nearly two years, he now gears up for the upcoming five-match T20I series against Australia starting October 29.

Meanwhile, Gill continues his steady rise in leadership, having been appointed as India’s permanent Test and ODI captain following Rohit Sharma’s retirement. His next big challenge will be steering the team toward the 2027 ODI World Cup.