3 reasons why Suryakumar Yadav as T20I vice-captain is the right move

In-form Team India batter Suryakumar Yadav has been named vice-captain for the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka at home, which will be played from January 3 to 7.

The series will be India’s first assignment of 2023. While all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been named captain for the T20I series, Suryakumar has been picked as vice-captain in KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant’s absence.

The 32-year-old made his debut for India in a T20I against England in March 2021 and has swiftly climbed up the ladder. In 42 T20Is, he has scored 1408 runs at an average of 44 and an exceptional strike rate of 180.97.

The right-handed batter, who has even been compared to South African legend AB de Villiers for his 360-degree batting ability, has two T20I tons and 12 half-centuries to his credit.

With the Mumbai batter being named Team India’s vice-captain for the upcoming T20I series against Sri Lanka, we have analyzed three reasons why the move is the right one.

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#1 Suryakumar has earned it

SKY during his debut series against England. Pic: Getty Images

To put it simply, Suryakumar has earned the right by virtue of his hard work and his consistent performances in T20Is over the last year. He will end 2022 as the leading run-getter in T20Is, a year in which he has produced phenomenal numbers - 1164 runs in 31 games at an average of 46.56 and an exceptional strike of 187.43. Both his T20I tons have been registered in 2022, that too away from home.

SKY’s rise to stardom in international cricket is both exceptional and inspirational. He was already 30 when he made his debut for India last year. Most people give up international hopes by then. But Suryakumar did not, and literally broke open the door with the sheer weight of the runs he scored. The selectors were left with no choice but to include him in the Indian team. The rest is history.

The batter also gave a hint of his leadership ability during his stupendous knock against South Africa in Perth during the T20 World Cup. When all the big guns failed with the willow, he rose to a massive challenge and single-handedly lifted India to a somewhat decent total.

In his own words, Suryakumar has admitted that the honor is a reward for all the hard yards he has put in over the years. Sharing his reaction to the media over being named T20I vice-captain, the Mumbai batter commented:

“I wasn’t expecting but the way last year had gone, I can only say that it’s like a reward to me. It feels great and I am really looking forward to it. I closed my eyes and thought,” Is this a dream?” but it felt really nice.

“It still feels like a dream but it’s the hard work of the past so many years. It was like a seed planted years ago and now the tree has grown up. Now I’m eating the fruits of it. I will try to stretch it as long as I can.”

The reaction from Suryakumar over his (possibly temporary) elevation to vice-captaincy of the T20I team says it all.

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#2 The reward could spur him on even further

The Mumbai batter is the leading T20I run-getter in 2022. Pic: Getty Images

No doubt, Suryakumar has been sensational with the bat ever since making his T20I debut for India. It would be interesting to observe whether things change now that he will also have the duty of vice-captaincy for the Sri Lanka series.

Additional responsibilities work differently for different players. Some find it tough to handle the accountability that comes along with a leadership role. Others revel in it. From what has been observed of Suryakumar’s nature so far, he is more likely to fall into the latter category.

If the honor of being the vice-captain of the Indian T20I team inspires Suryakumar to perform even better than what he has been doing, then that can only be great news for Indian cricket. In that sense, the decision to promote the Mumbai batter to the leadership group for the Sri Lanka T20Is is a sensible one.

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#3 He was the best candidate from the available options

The right-handed batter has grabbed the limelight for his 360-degree strokeplay. Pic: Getty Images

As mentioned earlier, Team India are without Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul for the T20I series against Sri Lanka. Even experienced pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who has been a stand-in vice-captain earlier, is not part of the squad.

Most others in the team are either too young or not experienced enough to be named deputy to Pandya for the T20I series against Sri Lanka. Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson, and Deepak Hooda are among the batting options.

In the bowling department, Team India have picked Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, and a few other youngsters.

Analyzing all options, Suryakumar was the most deserving candidate as vice-captain for the T20I series against Sri Lanka.

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