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Former Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif has heaped praise on India’s T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav, calling him the most suitable successor to Rohit Sharma in the shortest format. According to Kaif, India’s smooth transition in T20 cricket after the retirement of stalwarts Rohit and Virat Kohli has been driven by a fearless new batting core and a captain who perfectly embodies the team’s aggressive brand of cricket.
Rohit bowed out of T20Is with an exceptional captaincy record, capped by a memorable World Cup triumph in Barbados last year. Stepping into his shoes, Suryakumar has made an equally impressive start as India’s full-time skipper. Under his leadership, the Men in Blue have played 23 matches and registered 19 victories, highlighting both his tactical acumen and ability to inspire the team in pressure situations.
“With the bat, he [Suryakumar] produced the winning hit, went unbeaten, and the way he replied to the media, talked about the things that show he has the ability as a skipper. The things that need to be taken care of on the day. Such a big game between India and Pakistan, and he turned out to be a true leader fairly. So, I do not doubt in my mind that he is a proper replacement for Rohit Sharma as skipper. The way he smiles while talking, his bat always does the talking,” Kaif said in an Instagram reel.
Kaif also lauded Suryakumar’s astute use of all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Abhishek Sharma in the recent clash against Pakistan. Both players were deployed with precision in crucial moments, helping India register a comfortable win to qualify for the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2025. Kaif emphasised that such proactive decision-making reflects Suryakumar’s growing maturity as a leader.
“Captaincy is brilliant. Hardik Pandya is bowling with the new ball; Abhishek Sharma is also bowling one or two overs in the middle. He’s managed things rightly. As captain, he has led in 24 matches and won 20 [actually 19 matches, excluding a tie] games. I do not doubt that he is on the way to becoming a great leader,” Kaif added.
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