Former India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav shared a training video on social media amid the India-Zimbabwe tour. The star batter posted clips of an intense batting session and fitness drills at the Vasoo Paranjape Cricket Academy in Mumbai, focusing on winning back the trust of the team management.
India, led by Shreyas Iyer, completed a 3-0 T20I series sweep over Zimbabwe in Harare on Sunday, July 26. Suryakumar, who captained India to the 2026 T20 World Cup title, was left out of the squad for the Ireland and England tours. The right-handed batter was also not considered for the Zimbabwe tour.
Sunday Was Fun - Suryakumar Yadav Shares Practice Update
Suryakumar Yadav took to social media to give fans an update on his training at the Vasoo Paranjape Cricket Academy in Mumbai. The 35-year-old shared a video of his batting and fitness drills. He is putting in hard work to return to India's T20I squad.
"Sunday was fun. Quick run 🏃🏾 Batted around 1000 balls for 3 hours. Felt good 💪," Suryakumar Yadav wrote.
Sunday was fun. Quick run 🏃🏾
— Surya Kumar Yadav (@surya_14kumar) July 26, 2026
Batted around 1000 balls for 3 hours.
Felt good 💪 pic.twitter.com/x6wH9Ebpmv
Ajit Agarkar Explains Why India Moved On From Suryakumar
The BCCI announced Shreyas Iyer as India's new T20I captain during the squad announcement for the Ireland and England tours in June. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said that the decision was based on Suryakumar Yadav's recent batting form and the team's long-term plans.
“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," Agarkar told reporters.
The selectors also kept the 2026 T20 World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in mind while planning for the next cycle. Suryakumar averaged 30.25 at a strike rate of 136.72 during India's successful 2026 T20 World Cup campaign.
His form dipped further in IPL 2026, where he scored 270 runs in 13 matches at an average of 20.76. Overall, he averaged only 26 in 33 T20I innings over the past year, prompting the selectors to leave him out of the squad despite his success as captain.
Suryakumar Yadav Leaves Behind an Outstanding Captaincy Record
Despite losing both the captaincy and his place in the T20I squad, Suryakumar finished his stint as one of India's most successful captains in the format. He won 40 of his 52 matches in charge and lost only eight.
Under his leadership, India won the 2025 Asia Cup, claimed a T20I series in Australia, and lifted the 2026 T20 World Cup. His leadership record remains one of the best among India's T20I captains. He has also built an outstanding batting record in T20Is.
Suryakumar has scored 3,272 runs in 113 matches at an average of 36.35 and a strike rate of 162.94, with 25 half-centuries, four centuries, and a highest score of 117. He is at third place on India's all-time T20I run-scorers list behind Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
