Suryakumar Yadav sides with BCCI, orders India teammates to play domestic cricket

Team India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav urged young cricketers to continue playing domestic cricket, saying it keeps them grounded and connected to where they started. Surya added that with fewer international matches on the schedule, players now have more opportunities to return to local competitions.

India will take on South Africa in a five-match T20I series after securing the ODI series with a 2-1 win. The upcoming T20I leg will be played across different cities. Notably, the series begins in Cuttack on Tuesday, December 9, followed by matches in New Chandigarh, Dharamsala, Lucknow, and Ahmedabad.

It’s a Very Important Part of Their Development - Suryakumar Yadav

Speaking ahead of the first T20I, Suryakumar Yadav said that the rise in domestic cricket is becoming a blessing for players. He also stated that domestic cricket is helpful not only for youngsters but also for senior players who want to keep improving their game.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

“With fewer international fixtures, players are spending more time in domestic cricket — in a way, it’s taking them back to their roots. It’s important to play domestic cricket whenever possible," Suryakumar Yadav said.

“Many players go back, stay in touch with the game, and there’s always a lot to learn. It’s a very important part of their development," he added.

We Don’t Want To Change Too Much in Terms of Combinations - Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav made it clear that the team is not looking to experiment just for the sake of trying new combinations. He said that the group wants to stick to a clear style of cricket and build consistency around it. Suryakumar said that the T20 World Cup is still a few months away.

“We don’t want to change too much in terms of combinations. The focus is on the type of cricket we want to play," Suryakumar stated.

“We have to play 10 T20 games against two quality oppositions before the World Cup, so the immediate focus is on those matches. As we get closer to the tournament, we’ll gradually shift our focus fully to the T20 World Cup," he continued.

Hardik Pandya Returns to India’s T20I Squad After Recovering From Injury

All-rounder Hardik Pandya has been included in the squad after returning from injury. He had been out of international cricket since suffering a quadricep injury during the Asia Cup 2025 clash against Sri Lanka. Pandya was ruled out of the Australia tour as well as the ODI series against South Africa.

After proving his fitness while playing for Baroda in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he has rejoined the national setup. Shubman Gill has also been included, but the selectors have kept his participation dependent on medical clearance.

Gill has been recovering from a neck injury that forced him out midway through the opening Test against South Africa and ruled him out of the rest of the red-ball and ODI fixtures. He has been appointed vice-captain for the T20Is.

India will enter the series in exceptional form, having dominated the T20 format throughout the year. They have won 13 of their 15 T20Is in 2025 and an impressive 26 of their last 30 matches.

Also read: “India are trendsetters”: Phil Salt SHAMES England with brutal reality check