"Post the T20 World Cup, it has been a little difficult": Suryakumar Yadav
Mumbai, November 10
India's T20 World Cup 2026-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav has described the period after losing the T20I captaincy as "very difficult", admitting that the phase following India's second consecutive T20 World Cup triumph tested him emotionally, but said the birth of his daughter and a renewed focus on his passion for cricket helped him regain perspective, according to Cricinfo.
Suryakumar, who led India to their second consecutive T20 World Cup title in 2026, was dropped from the T20I side after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (IPL), with selectors appointing Shreyas Iyer as the new captain.
Speaking at a Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) event, as per the Cricinfo report, Suryakumar Yadav described the period after the T20 World Cup as difficult, but said the birth of his daughter in May shifted his focus and made the past few months beautiful.
"Post the T20 World Cup, it has been a little difficult. I don't want to run away from the fact... if you're not honest with yourself, it's very difficult to lead a happy life. To be very honest, it has been very difficult but then at the same time, during IPL I was blessed with a baby girl in May. So the focus shifted completely towards her. So the last few months since she was born have been very beautiful," he said.
Suryakumar has been out of top-level cricket since the Indian Premier League (IPL). He later played in the Mumbai T20 League in June and featured in local club cricket recently. He is set to return to action in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, having been appointed captain of the Mumbai side. The tournament begins on November 14.
Suryakumar said he overcame the "difficult" phase by reconnecting with his early passion for cricket, following a suggestion from his wife to rediscover the enthusiasm he had as a 15-year-old aspiring to represent Mumbai. He has returned to his earlier training routine and is now focused on performing for his team and family, with his primary goal being to win the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Mumbai.
"The first two months after the IPL were difficult but then I thought, why not think about how I was before - how I started my cricket, when I used to think I wanted to play age-group cricket for Mumbai, I wanted to play first-class cricket for Mumbai. So all these things I chatted with my wife, and she said the same thing: you need to bring back that love and passion for the game, what you had when you were a 15-year-old kid who wanted to represent Mumbai in age-group cricket," he said.
"So that's what I started talking about and the same thing I'm following right now: what I did 10-15 years ago - training again, following the same passion, same love for this game and everything is back to normal. When you start thinking about it, and you're focused on playing the sport, you want to do well for your team and your family; things change completely. And that's what I'm doing right now. The main goal is what I used to think before - to win the championship for Mumbai," he added.
— ANI
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