'Gautam Gambhir's favorite' Suryakumar Yadav threatened by Ajit Agarkar, 'will be sacked as T20I captain if...'

"Who will be the next Indian T20I skipper" is something that has been doing rounds in the minds of every Indian cricket fan. This comes after Rohit Sharma retired from the T20I format following the T20 World Cup 2024 triumph and it left the captaincy spot vacant in the team.

It was expected that Hardik Pandya the vice-captain of the team, would be the front-runner to take the role. But recently a lot of media reports suggested a massive twist. It was learned that Suryakumar Yadav might pip the all-rounder and will be appointed as the new skipper of the team.

This is because team management and BCCI also were keen to appoint Hardik Pandya as skipper but the all-rounder having poor fitness record has put doubts in the governing body's mind. Hence Suryakumar Yadav is now the front-runner to captain the team in the shortest format of the game till the T20 World Cup 2026.

The latest reports in Indian Express have also confirmed that Suryakumar Yadav will be the first choice to lead the team in the T20Is as the side builds up for the T20 World Cup 2026. But his appointment comes up with a twist and he would be under scanner all through his stint.

The reports claimed that Suryakumar Yadav's leadership will be monitored. Although the BCCI is looking for Yadav to lead the Indian team at the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, the selection committee has informed BCCI that they are open to replacing the batter as a captain in the future, if his performance isn’t satisfactory and doesn’t meet the expectations.

The selection committee and the BCCI also have spoken to Hardik Pandya to explain their plans for the next two years and why they preferred Suryakumar Yadav. The all-rounder notably was vice-captain of the team in the T20 World Cup 2024 and also captained the team when seniors weren't there.

Suryakumar Yadav on the other hand also captained the team in the T20I series against South Africa. He performed well as the skipper and led from the front. He also performed the role a few times at Mumbai Indians and in the last few years has been the leading batter for the team in T20Is.

Suryakumar Yadav unlikely to be selected for the ODI series against Sri Lanka

The reports also claimed that Suryakumar Yadav is likely to be dropped from the ODI team for the Sri Lanka series. This is because the BCCI wants to include Riyan Parag in the team. The management sees him as the future and the fact that he bowls as well makes him a certain choice.

Suryakumar Yadav doesn't have a great record in the ODIs. The right-hander hasn't been able to live up to the expectations in the format. He also has been trolled a lot for his performances in the 50-over format. Therefore there are fewer chances that he might be back for the ODIs.

It is also learned that Shreyas Iyer will also be making his comeback to the team. He was terminated from the BCCI's annual contract. With his return to international cricket, he will soon find a place in BCCI’s annual contract.