- Suryakumar Yadav, excluded from T20Is, intensified training in Mumbai.
- Selectors reassessed team direction, focusing on next World Cup cycle.
- His recent form dip contributed to his exclusion from squads.
- Despite excellent captaincy record, he aims for India return.
Suryakumar Yadav has offered a glimpse into his preparations after being left out of India’s recent T20I squads. The former India captain shared videos from an intensive training session in Mumbai, showing long hours of batting and fitness work. The update comes a day after India completed a 3-0 T20I series sweep over Zimbabwe under new captain Shreyas Iyer.
Suryakumar Puts In Long Hours At Mumbai Nets
The 35-year-old trained at the Vasoo Paranjape Cricket Academy in Mumbai, posting clips of batting drills and conditioning exercises on social media.
Suryakumar revealed the workload behind the session, writing: “Sunday was fun. Quick run 🏃🏾 Batted around 1000 balls for 3 hours. Felt good 💪.”
WATCH VIDEO
Sunday was fun. Quick run 🏃🏾
Batted around 1000 balls for 3 hours.
Felt good 💪 pic.twitter.com/x6wH9Ebpmv— Surya Kumar Yadav (@surya_14kumar) July 26, 2026
The post quickly attracted attention as fans viewed it as a sign that the experienced batter is working towards earning another opportunity in India’s T20I side.
Selectors Moved In A Different Direction
Suryakumar has not featured for India since leading the team to the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title.
The selectors appointed Shreyas Iyer as India’s new T20I captain ahead of the Ireland and England tours. Suryakumar was also overlooked for the Zimbabwe series despite his success as skipper.
Explaining the decision during the squad announcement, chief selector Ajit Agarkar said: “With regards to Surya, obviously, it’s a tough one… having just won the World Cup. But as it happens after most World Cups, we try and reassess what the best way forward is.”
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The selectors also considered the next T20 World Cup cycle and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics while reshaping the squad.
Form Dip Cost Him His Place
Suryakumar averaged 30.25 at a strike rate of 136.72 during India’s successful T20 World Cup campaign.
His returns declined during IPL 2026, where he scored 270 runs in 13 matches at an average of 20.76. Across the last year, he averaged 26 in 33 T20I innings, making it difficult for the selectors to retain him despite his leadership record.
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Those numbers contrasted with India’s long-term plans as the management began investing in younger players.
A Remarkable Captaincy Record Remains
Although he lost both the captaincy and his place in the squad, Suryakumar’s record as India’s T20I captain remains among the best.
He won 40 of his 52 matches in charge, leading India to the 2025 Asia Cup, a T20I series win in Australia and the 2026 T20 World Cup title.
As a batter, he has scored 3,272 runs in 113 T20Is at an average of 36.35 and a strike rate of 162.94, including four centuries and 25 half-centuries.
His latest training update suggests the former captain has no intention of stepping away, with the focus now firmly on forcing his way back into India’s plans.
