Indian T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav was in the limelight since the 2025 Asia Cup began. Favourites India was expected to bring the trophy home — and beat Pakistan whenever the two teams played. Not only
did the Men in Blue become champions, they also beat Pakistan not once or twice, but three times, with the third of those victories coming in the summit clash. He was expected to return to form with the bat at the right time. He failed, with loose shots bringing about his downfall most often. Millions of cricket lovers wanted him to make the right bowling changes, set appropriate fields, encourage any bowler who went for too many on a bad day, and remain unflappable under pressure. He scored highly on all these fronts, thus playing his part in the triumph.
The only time SKY’s disappointment with himself was transparent was in the final against Pakistan after he was dismissed by a slowish Shaheen Shah Afridi delivery outside the off stump. He played too early, was unable to keep the ball down, and ended up being caught up at mid-off with his score at 1. He looked sad and lost in the dugout for a while, but soon returned to his usual self.
After the match ended, followed by much drama, he sat down for the press conference and responded to questions, a few of them tricky, with a smile and tact. Just as MSD was popularly known as Captain Cool, SKY was Captain Calm for half an hour.
MSD and SKY’s body language as batters are a million miles apart. When the former appeared on the international scene for the first time, the world sat up and noticed when he walked towards the pitch with a Caribbean swagger, wielded the bat like a club, smashed the cherry with the kind of brutality seldom seen, and sometimes unleashed his MSD special to send the ball flying out of the ground, a shot that became known as the helicopter shot. He had long coloured hair — he frequently changed his hairstyle — and sprinted like a hare between the wickets.
SKY, on the other hand, chews gum throughout the match, making viewers wonder whether his jaws ever hurt. He sweeps the ball where the opposition skipper expects, and doesn’t. As unhurried as MSD with the bat in hand, his batting when he is at his best is a sight for the gods.
A 360-degree player, as the commentators love to call him, it is impossible not to wonder how he whips the ball over the fine leg region with the gift of timing no coach can teach. Like Dhoni’s helicopter shot, the shot has become popular as the ‘supla’ shot.
Although he bats much higher up in the batting order than MSD, he has already given us many innings to remember in run chases: for instance, his 117 off 55 deliveries against England in Trent Bridge (2022), his maiden T20I century, in a run chase of 216 in which India fell agonisingly short by 17 runs. When he led the team for the first time against Australia in Visakhapatnam (2023), he hammered 80 off 42 balls to steer the team to victory by two wickets.
Whenever he has batted — and despite their obvious differences, with MSD relying on brute force and speed of running and SKY on his range of shots — it is difficult not to notice that the present-day skipper has an MSD kind of calmness and attitude that helps him remain unruffled.
As a fielder, he is more than reliable. Who can forget the catch that got rid of David Miller in the 20th over bowled by Hardik Pandya in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 against South Africa? Pandya bowled a wide full toss and Miller hit the ball in the air to long-off. SKY, who was fielding in the area, juggled the ball and tossed it inside before crossing the boundary rope. He then returned inside to pouch the ball.
One of the most memorable catches in T20I history, that moment destroyed South Africa’s trophy dreams. It is this state of mind that helps him smile when his team is on the back foot against the opposition. The look suggests chalta hai (happens), which keeps his bowlers — and the team — relaxed as India try to get back into the match.
In a recent interview after the Asia Cup on revsportz.in, he said, “(I) also thanked them for coping with me on the ground. Though I’m there for everyone, at the same time I have to be very real with them and tell them the truth, irrespective of whether someone likes it or not…. When the player comes back to you on the third day, they realise that it was for their betterment.” What does he say on the ground since, as he says, he has to be ‘real’ with them?
Nobody would remember the last time when he lost his cool since he either smiles or seems to accept that a batsman from the opposition has played a great shot with his expressions, or puts a hand around the bowler’s shoulders, or speaks to him casually while standing a few feet away. Even if he is annoyed, in other words, his relaxed demeanour reveals nothing.
That reminds of MSD, although there were those rare occasions when the former all-format skipper made a comment directed at the bowler or a fielder or shared an observation or advice with the former that was caught on the stump mic because he kept wickets.
In press conferences, he is often funny. And, more. An instance of his presence of mind was his response to a question asked by a Pakistani journalist. The journalist said that India became the champions. But Team India did not shake hands with the Pakistan team, did not have a photo session with the trophy, and held a political press conference.
He added that he was the first captain to bring politics into the sport. SKY paused briefly, smiled, and said: “Bolna hai ki nahibolna hai? Gussa ho rahe ho aap. Sawal pata hi nahichala aapka. Aapney chaar questions pooch liya ekmain.” (Should I speak or not? You’re getting angry. I could not understand your question. You asked four questions in one). His lighthearted response, in a characteristically relaxed manner, ended the possibility of a pointless discussion.
Another Pakistani journalist said that cricket sent a positive message to the entire world and brought nations closer. Then, he changed gears, adding that the BCCI had sent an official email to the ACC that stated Team India’s refusal to accept the award from the ACC Chairman Mohsin Naqvi. So, was the decision (of not receiving the trophy from Naqvi) made by the BCCI, or by SKY himself?
SKY replied that he did not know about such BCCI email, adding that the decision was made ‘by us’ on the ground itself. He also said that since India had played well throughout the tournament and won, didn’t the team deserve the trophy? The journalist had nothing more to add. In such a situation, it is difficult not to think that MSD — and perhaps, Rohit Sharma — would have said something similar.
SKY has proved that he is a fine T20I captain with a good head on his shoulders. Now, his fans must be hoping that he will return to form with the bat soon. That will happen as soon as he gets a few good starts.
The writer, a journalist for three decades, writes on literature, cinema and pop culture. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
