Suryakumar Yadav lit up the T20I stage, clearing boundaries with ease and sitting atop the ICC charts within four short years - his average a steady 43.40, bat swinging close to 170 strike rate. Then came the armband; soon after, the runs dried up like puddles under the noon sun.

Down went his average to 28 through that period, marked by 22 straight innings missing a fifty, averaging merely 13. Brief sparks showed up when he found rhythm in the home T20Is versus New Zealand, then followed it with a solid 84 not out against the U.S. at the start of the T20 World Cup. Yet steadiness stayed out of reach. Even the IPL season in 2026 brought little change - he tallied 270 runs across 13 outings, scraping an average near 21.


Prasad calls Suryakumar Yadav ‘Irreplaceable’ in T20 Cricket

Even though people question Suryakumar's current performance, ex-Indian bowler Venkatesh Prasad stands by him firmly, highlighting how risky it would be to drop someone so uncommon from the T20 team. While opinions swirl, his belief stays rooted in long-term value rather than short-term results.

“There are very few batters in world cricket capable of playing 360-degree cricket as naturally as Suryakumar Yadav. His ability to access unconventional areas of the field makes him nearly impossible to bowl to once he settles,” Prasad wrote in his Cricbuzz column.

What stands out, he pointed out, is how Suryakumar plays differently - India isn’t short on solid technicians. Yet few can keep up insane scoring speeds when facing the best bowlers around. His approach fills a gap others don’t.
“Whether it is scoops over fine leg, inside-out lofts over cover, or flicks behind square off good-length balls, Suryakumar brings a skillset that very few Indian batters possess. In T20 cricket, uniqueness matters more than textbook batting,” he added.
Still, Prasad pointed out that steady guidance in the Indian T20 team matters more than shifting leaders after just a rough patch. While results may waver briefly, tossing out captains quickly brings its own risks.

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“One of the biggest reasons to retain Suryakumar is leadership continuity. At present, India does not have a ready-made long-term T20 captaincy solution waiting in the wings. Changing captains frequently can disturb the direction and culture of the side,” he said.

Right now, the ex-pacer mentioned that India could start preparing the upcoming T20 captains by learning from Suryakumar, moving step by step into the shift.

Looking ahead, Prasad pointed to Shreyas Iyer, then Sanju Samson, followed by Tilak Varma, with Ishan Kishan also in the mix - each could step into leadership down the line.

“Over the next six months, these players can be made deputy leaders to Suryakumar Yadav in different series and conditions. This would allow India to gradually build leadership depth without creating unnecessary turbulence within the setup,” he added.

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