Zaheer Khan compares Suryakumar Yadav’s captaincy to this World Cup-winning captain

Former Indian fast bowler Zaheer Khan has shed light on the leadership potential of Suryakumar Yadav. Suryakumar’s growing stature as a captain has sparked excitement among the Indian cricket fraternity, with many likes of Zaheer seeing shades of Rohit Sharma’s leadership in his tactical approach.

As India undergoes a crucial transition, Zaheer believes that Suryakumar is all set to take Indian cricket to new heights, thanks to the invaluable lessons he learned from Rohit Sharma’s captaincy. Notably, the Indian batter shared ample time with Rohit both in the Indian cricket team and Mumbai Indians (MI).

Zaheer Khan sees shades of Rohit Sharma in Suryakumar Yadav’s captaincy

The former World Cup winner Zaheer Khan has pointed out that Suryakumar’s strategic mindset on the field reflects a calm yet calculated approach similar to Rohit’s, which allows him to handle high-pressure situations with ease.

Zaheer further noted that Suryakumar's leadership style reflects his deep understanding of the game, honed through years of playing with Rohit. The former pacer feels the Indian captain’s unique blend of intuition and strategy will be key to success.

Furthermore, the former Indian pacer believes that India’s T20I captain’s close association with Rohit at Team India and Mumbai Indians (MI) has influenced Suryakumar's tactical approach, which is similar to the hitman.

However, Zaheer pointed out that Suryakumar’s leadership style has been a refreshing blend of tactical sharpness and instinctive decision-making, creating a winning formula for Team India.

Like Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav too is a very tactical captain: Zaheer Khan

Despite the immense pressure of expectations, the Men in Blue have yet to lose a T20I series under Suryakumar's captaincy, which speaks volumes about his potential to lead on the global stage.

Zaheer Khan was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz: “If you look at Indian cricket at the moment things are transitioning really well from an outgoing skipper to the one taking charge. Suryakumar Yadav has spent a lot of time with Rohit Sharma not only in the Indian team setup but also in domestic cricket, which is very much evident in the way he leads the team.”

Zaheer added, “Like Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar too is a very tactical captain. The good thing is that Suryakumar has his own style of leading the team and India hasn't lost a series under his captaincy...which will give confidence to the team management, selectors and Surya himself.”

Suryakumar Yadav breaks Jos Buttler's T20I record

Notably, Suryakumar Yadav delivered a thrilling performance in the first T20I against Bangladesh in Gwalior. The stylish batter scored 29 runs off just 14 balls at a strike rate of 207.14 and smashed 2 fours and 3 sixes, leaving fans in awe.

During his explosive innings, Suryakumar achieved a major milestone by surpassing England's Jos Buttler in T20I cricket. By hitting 3 sixes in the first T20I match, Suryakumar climbed to fourth place for the most sixes in T20I history, with a total of 139 sixes. This achievement saw him overtake Buttler, who has hit 137 sixes in the format so far.