'Landmark day in selection': R Ashwin on Suryakumar's T20I snub
What's the story
Indian spin legend Ravichandran Ashwin has questioned the decision to drop Suryakumar Yadav from the T20I squad. The move comes just two months after he led India to a ICC T20 World Cup victory. Despite a lackluster individual performance in the tournament and subsequent IPL season, Ashwin believes Suryakumar deserved more time to find his form as a batter. Here's more.
Empathy expressed
Every player has right to feel bad: Ashwin
Speaking on ESPNcricinfo's video show, Ashwin said he could understand how Suryakumar must be feeling after being left out of the side. He said every player has the right to feel bad about such decisions. However, he also expressed his apprehension over how this decision was made and its implications for future selections.
Selection concerns
Ashwin questions precedent set by Suryakumar's exclusion
Ashwin raised concerns over the precedent this decision could set for future selections. He questioned if a T20 World Cup-winning captain had ever been dropped without any warning. "This is quite a landmark day in selection," he said, adding that it would be taken as some sort of a precedent when such situations arise again.
Leadership transition
Shreyas Iyer named as replacement for Suryakumar
Shreyas Iyer has been named Suryakumar's replacement, even though he hasn't played a T20I for India in over two years. During this time, he achieved IPL success by leading Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the title in 2024 and Punjab Kings (PBKS) to the final in 2025. However, Ashwin believes it will be difficult for Iyer to step into this new role as captain of the national side.
Agarkar
Not the easiest thing: Agarkar on Suryakumar's T20I captaincy removal
Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of India's selection committee, has clarified the decision to remove Suryakumar as the captain of the T20I side. Agarkar said that Suryakumar's recent form and India's strategy for the next T20 World Cup cycle were key factors in their decision. "Partly his own form, but also looking at the next two-year cycle or a little bit more than two years now till the next World Cup, we thought this was the best way forward," he said at a press conference in Mumbai.