Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has questioned the selectors’ decision to drop Suryakumar Yadav from India’s T20I setup, calling it a “landmark” and “ruthless” call that could set a difficult precedent for the future.
India’s selection committee on Saturday appointed Shreyas Iyer as the new T20I captain for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England and the Asian Games later this year. The decision brought an abrupt end to Suryakumar’s tenure less than three months after he led India to a successful defense of the T20 World Cup title.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said the move was driven by form and the team’s plans for the next T20 World Cup cycle. However, Ashwin felt Suryakumar had earned the right to make one final case for himself, particularly in the high-profile series against England.
Speaking on ESPNcricinfo, Ashwin said the decision was a significant moment in Indian cricket and admitted he was surprised by the manner in which the World Cup-winning captain had been left out. He argued that while Suryakumar’s batting form had dipped over the last 18 months, his contribution as captain should also have been factored into the decision.
“Look, I think it’s a very interesting precedent, if I can say that. I just want to put myself in Suryakumar Yadav’s shoes and for an instance think how he would be feeling at this point of time. I’m sure every player has got the right to be gutted about being left out of the side and that’s fair if he’s feeling bad about it, but just the whole occasion, the way it’s been done, I am a little apprehensive about the whole thing.
“Because in my head I’m thinking, okay, I’m the T20 World Cup-winning captain. I’m just putting myself in Surya’s shoes and thinking about it. Sure, my batting form has let me down over the last 18 months or 15 months or whatever it is. I haven’t been in the prime form that I could have been. But then I managed to win a T20 World Cup for the country. Didn’t have the greatest World Cup as a batter, but surely, just like everyone else in the team-the coach, the vice-captain, the best-performing batter, best-performing bowler-he’s also been the best-performing skipper, right? He’s played his part.”
India T20 Squad Selection: As it Happened
Ashwin said he understood the selectors’ long-term thinking but felt Suryakumar had earned the right to fight for his place.
“I saw Ajit’s press conference and I like what he said: for the next two years is what we are planning, which is quite a good way of looking at it. But is there a possibility that they could have given Surya a bit more time? And if you feel he’s not a walk into your XI, could he have been given that big England series to ask himself to prove once again as a batter that he belongs in that place? I just think he deserved that after having accomplished such a huge feat in his career.
“Has there been an instance where a captain who’s won the T20 World Cup has been left out without any ultimatum? I’m sure there’s been communication. I have no doubts with regards to that. But this is quite a landmark day in selection if you ask me, because this will be taken as some sort of precedent the next time such a thing ever comes up. And let’s not forget, T20 is a high-risk game where the batters are expected to put their wicket on the line for scoring those extra boundaries. You want them to play a brand of cricket which is high risk and hence my question is: could the captain of the defending champions have been dealt a slightly better deal than what he was dealt?”
The decision has been viewed as one of the toughest selection calls in recent Indian cricket history. World Cup-winning captains have either retired from the format or continued to be backed by selectors. Suryakumar’s removal from both the side and captaincy so soon after a title-winning campaign marks a rare departure from that trend.
Ashwin also spoke about the appointment of Shreyas Iyer, who returns to India’s T20I side for the first time since December 2023.
“Very recently, we had this conversation on Shreyas deserving to get into the T20 side. I’m all for that. But I’m again wondering, if I am one of the other 14 members in that T20 World Cup-winning side, I’m looking at one another and saying, ‘Hey, we’ve been here for a while now. Haven’t we done enough to warrant a position as captain?’
“The one thing that’s probably worked in favour of Shreyas is that he’s won an IPL as a skipper for KKR in the recent past. That’s probably worked in his favour. I wouldn’t put any black mark on the fact that he’s been a wonderful captain in the IPL, got a lot of tactics right.”
Ashwin, however, questioned whether the leadership succession plan had remained consistent.
“But that said, there are team ethos that need to be well in place. Axar Patel was the picked choice as vice-captain and if the choice of vice-captain cannot step up into being the next captain, then we are going back in time and again questioning those sort of things.
He concluded by saying that the selectors must now remain consistent with the ruthless standards they have applied in Suryakumar’s case.
“So I really hope, in terms of solidarity and stability with respect to how these selections are done, are carried forward in the ruthless manner that we’ve just seen. It’s going to be a hard line to follow though.”
India will begin their new T20I cycle with a two-match series in Ireland on June 26 and 28 before taking on England in a five-match T20I series from July 1 to 11. The squad also features 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who became the youngest player ever selected for an Indian senior team.
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