Not Rohit Sharma! Suryakumar Yadav reveals who groomed him for captaincy
Published - 09 Mar 2025, 04:45 PM | Updated - 09 Mar 2025, 11:41 PM
Table of Contents
Suryakumar Yadav has revealed that Gautam Gambhir played a key role in shaping him as a leader long before he became India's T20I captain. Suryakumar Yadav revealed that Gautam Gambhir was grooming him for the captaincy during his time with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL.
Recalling his IPL days with the KKR, Suryakumar shared that the current Indian head coach constantly guided him on handling responsibilities both on and off the field. The star batter said that he learned a lot from the former KKR skipper’s sharp tactical mind and leadership insights.
Suryakumar Yadav reveals how Gautam Gambhir groomed him for captaincy during KKR days
Suryakumar Yadav said at the 'India Today Conclave': “When I was with KKR, he always spoke to me about leadership, how to carry on the field, what to do off the field, maybe a better captain. I have learned a lot from him; he is a very smart man.”
The Indian skipper has been enjoying a dream run as the captain, winning 17 of 22 matches in the format, but still, he is grounded and humble, for which Suryakumar gave credit to his captains Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir.
Suryakumar further explained, “Look, I have learned from my captain only when I have played franchise cricket with Rohit bhai. And before that, I had played with Gauti bhai for 4 years. I have spent a lot of time with them. So, I have learned so many qualities from both of them. How to be aggressive on the ground and, at the same time, how to be humble is also very important.”
Suryakumar Yadav shares his leadership mantra
The Indian skipper believes in balancing aggression on the field and being supportive and living a normal life off the field. Suryakumar said that he always makes himself available to teammates, ensuring open communication and understanding of their mindset.
By staying engaged during practice and interactions, he builds trust, preparing players to handle pressure situations confidently. Suryakumar also opened up about the difference between Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma’s approaches as a leader.
The star batter mentioned that Gambhir was an aggressive leader on the field but remained calm otherwise, while Rohit is instinctive on the field and deeply involved in team activities off the field. Suryakumar said that he has learned from Rohit how to connect with players.
Suryakumar Yadav opens up on leadership lessons from Gautam Gambhir-Rohit Sharma
Suryakumar signed off by saying, “You must have seen Gauti Bhai on the ground. He is always aggressive. He is always relaxed on the ground. And Rohit Bhai changes as soon as he picks up the bat. Rohit Bhai is very instinctive on the ground.
I have seen him off the field when he is in the team room. He is the most involved in team activities. He knows the players. So, I have taken that quality from him.”
Notably, Suryakumar will be next seen in action when Mumbai Indian (MI) take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on March 23 in the IPL 2025.
