India’s T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav has strongly dismissed rumours surrounding an alleged wrist injury, saying those questioning his fitness “don’t understand cricket” and insisting his batting itself proves that he is fully fit.
Speaking to IPL broadcasters Star Sports, Suryakumar addressed the speculation that followed him through a difficult IPL season, where both his form and place in India’s T20 setup came under scrutiny.
“First of all, I’d like to clear the air a little bit. The people talking about a wrist injury are either pure physios or people who don’t understand cricket. Because if I really had a wrist injury or such a problem, then the shots I’ve been playing in practice and in matches, especially my flick shots, which are completely wrist-based and depend on hand-eye coordination, I wouldn’t have been able to play those shots,” Suryakumar said.
The Mumbai batter said he prefers to focus only on factors within his control rather than outside criticism.
“But I don’t want to say much about that because it’s not in my control. These are all uncontrollable factors, and I don’t pay too much attention to them,” he added.
Suryakumar also reflected on his recent performances and the difficult phase he has endured over the past few months. Despite his struggles in the IPL, the 35-year-old insisted that his commitment and work ethic have remained unchanged.
“As you said, I’ve worked hard throughout the season. I worked hard at the start of the year as well. In the New Zealand series, I won the Player of the Series award. Then I had a good World Cup, at least according to me. Then came the IPL. I didn’t score runs in the IPL, but I never stopped working hard,” he said.
“I try to focus on what is in my hands. At the end of the day, performance is never guaranteed. What is in your control is hard work. So I keep working hard and try to put my best foot forward. If success comes, that’s great. If it doesn’t, that’s okay too. We’ll go back to the drawing board and work hard again. God is watching. Sooner or later, the rewards will come.”
According to multiple media reports, Suryakumar’s future as India’s T20 captain has come under serious doubt following a poor IPL campaign and concerns over his consistency as a specialist batter. While head coach Gautam Gambhir is believed to remain supportive of Suryakumar, sections within the selection committee are reportedly unconvinced about his long-term place in the side purely on batting merit.
Popularly nicknamed SKY, Suryakumar endured one of his toughest IPL seasons, managing only 210 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 148 while averaging below 18.
With questions growing around his future, discussions over potential leadership alternatives have also intensified. Shreyas Iyer remains a strong contender because of his leadership credentials, though there are lingering questions over whether he and Gambhir can work seamlessly together after their stint at Kolkata Knight Riders.
Meanwhile, Shubman Gill has once again emerged as a leading candidate for India’s long-term white-ball leadership after another prolific IPL season with Gujarat Titans. Reports also suggest that selectors are exploring future top-order combinations involving Gill, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan if Suryakumar loses his place in the T20 setup.
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