Suryakumar Yadav has opened up about the surprise and disappointment he experienced after being dropped from the India squad shortly after leading the team to a T20 World Cup triumph.
The India T20I captain said he initially accepted the selectors’ decision and tried to understand their perspective. However, as he spent more time reflecting on the decision, he admitted that it became difficult to comprehend why the team had chosen to move on from him.
Speaking to former India batter Aakash Chopra on his YouTube channel, Suryakumar said he had expected to continue leading the side after India’s successful campaign.
“I smiled when my name was not there,” Suryakumar said, explaining that remaining relaxed during difficult situations had helped him throughout his career.
He admitted, however, that the decision came as a major surprise. After entering 2026, he had believed he would continue taking the team forward for the next couple of years, particularly with the Olympics and another T20 World Cup on the horizon.
‘We just won the World Cup’
Suryakumar said his disappointment was not directed at Shreyas Iyer, who was chosen to lead the side in his place. He praised Iyer as a good player, person and captain.
What troubled him was the timing of the decision.
“I was a little disappointed. Because you have not lost a single series in two years. You have won the World Cup and the Asia Cup,” he said.
The batter revealed that he kept asking himself why a change was necessary when things appeared to be going well under his leadership.
According to Suryakumar, he spent around a month and a half at home trying to process the development.
“I was thinking, how can this happen? How is it possible? We just won the World Cup,” he said.
He acknowledged that his IPL campaign had not gone as well as he had hoped, but said the decision still took him by surprise.
Selectors informed him before squad announcement
Suryakumar also revealed that members of the selection committee contacted him two to three days before the squad for the upcoming series was announced.
He said the selectors told him that it was time to move on.
Despite the setback, Suryakumar maintained that he did not react angrily and respected the decision.
“I didn’t react. Because it’s not my fault. That’s not how SKY has ever been,” he said.
The 35-year-old also made it clear that he remains available for India and is ready to return whenever the selectors believe the time is right.
“I am ready. You can call me anytime. I am playing cricket anytime. I will continue to play,” he added.
A difficult transition after a historic campaign
Suryakumar’s comments provide an insight into the emotional difficulty of moving from the high of winning a major tournament to being left out of the national setup.
While he accepted that selectors have to make decisions based on what they believe is best for the team, his remarks underline how unexpected the transition was from his perspective.
For now, Suryakumar says he will continue playing and wait for another opportunity to wear India’s colours.
