Pallekele: A string of sacred threads wrapped around his right wrist and a Rolex proudly adorning his left, Suryakumar Yadav cut a picture of quiet, organic confidence as he crossed his hands in front of his chest and fielded his first set of questions as India’s full-time Twenty20 International captain. A journey with the national team that only began 40 months ago has now catapulted him to the status of a leader, a position the Mumbaikar is determined to optimise starting with the three-match series against Sri Lanka from Saturday.
Tasked with leading India into the future in the wake of the retirements of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, Suryakumar possesses all the tools required to be a successful skipper. First and foremost, he is a champion performer, evidenced by his presence at No. 2 in the ICC T20I rankings list for batters. A shrewd thinker and a popular figure within the dressing-room, the 33-year-old relishes the prospect of kickstarting a new chapter in Indian cricket history, while making it clear that he would build on the lessons gleaned from watching Rohit at work.
Without Rohit, Kohli and Jadeja, India aren’t just short on a massive chunk of experience, they need to rejig their personnel without veering from the attacking, entertaining style of play that has been their calling card for a year and a half now. Enter Shubman Gill, the new white-ball vice-captain, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, upon whom the onus will fall to provide the team with the electric starts that a packed and intimidating middle-order can build on.
The scramble for middle-order berths is another tribute to the strength in depth and vibrancy of the Indian system. Suryakumar bestowed X-Factor status on Riyan Parag, but there is no guarantee the Assamese will slot into the playing XI. It’s a great headache for Gautam Gambhir, the incoming head coach, to be saddled with.
Like Suryakumar, Gambhir too has giant, Rahul Dravid-sized boots to fill. Inheriting gun cross-format outfits, the former opener’s immediate task will be to ensure that the journey of transition within the T20 set-up is seamless. Gambhir’s USP is his unmasked aggression and straight-shooting; he has also played with and against several of his charges, which has made the integration process over the last few days smooth and obstacle-free.
That Suryakumar, who played under Gambhir at Kolkata Knight Riders, shares a fabulous rapport with the new boss is another big plus in India’s march towards sustained supremacy. Sri Lanka won’t prove easy fodder, but if both sides play to their potential, even a ‘weakened’ India – as interim home coach Sanath Jayasuriya put it – will be too strong for Charith Asalanka’s team.
Earmarked for the captaincy nearly a decade back, the 27-year-old Asalanka has finally been rewarded for his brains and consistency. He faces an unenviable task, with Sri Lanka not advancing beyond even the first stage at the World Cup. But like Suryakumar, he isn’t short on self-belief, which should provide a fascinating subtext to the larger battle.