Olympic gold is our priority: Suryakumar Yadav

With three ICC Men's T20 World Cup titles in the stable, India now has its sights firmly set on the next challenge. With inclusion of men's cricket in 2026 Asian Games and at the 2028 LA Olympics, Suryakumar Yadav highlighted the challenge of keeping non-playing members motivated, the inspiring arcs of key players, and the squad’s next immediate focus, Olympic glory.

Speaking on JioStar's 'Follow The Blues', India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav reflected on his journey from debut in Ahmedabad to lifting the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup trophy at the same venue.

"It's a very special feeling to win the T20 World Cup here at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. My journey in international cricket started here in 2021. As soon as it started, it was a lot of fun from there. Then coming here in 2026 and winning the T20 World Cup as a leader for India is a very special feeling. It feels good to be in the same stadium that so many people were talking about. Winning here was very special for the whole team."

On the toughest part of captaincy during the campaign

In this T20 World Cup campaign, the most difficult part for me was handling the players who don't get many opportunities to feature in the playing XI. Those who don't get chances, or get very few, I always felt I should spend more time with them. The ones who keep playing are in autopilot mode. They know what to do. But those who can play at any time but don't get to feature in every game, it is difficult for them to switch on and switch off. So spending time with them and having constant talks was very important. The support staff also played a key role in this long journey. They are not playing, but they are supporting all the players. Talking to them, sharing their journey, experiencing it... those were all very sweet moments for me. Sometimes I had to take hard calls. But at the end of the day, everyone's goal is the same. We all want to become champions. Only 11 players can play to win a trophy. So making everyone understand and taking care of everyone is important. Leading a team with that thinking is a lot of fun.

On the heartfelt moments he shared with a few players in particular

The stories of some players in our World Cup squad have been very inspiring and emotional. If you talk about Siraj, I called him a few days before the tournament. He was sitting with his friends, wearing a cap and eating food. I told him Harshit Rana is injured, you have to join the squad. He said, 'Surya bhai, are you kidding me?' That was his first reaction. Then I called Ishan Kishan just before our selection meeting. I told him, 'Chotu, will you help us win the World Cup?'

He said, 'Surya bhaiya, just trust me and have faith in me.' The way Ishan has walked the talk has been a lovely story. Sanju Samson did not start the tournament. He came in the middle and said one thing: 'You just tell me what I can do for the team.' That is the biggest blessing. Players like these, from number 1 to 15, everyone has a different story. And Jasprit Bumrah, I have called him a national treasure. He does the same thing every day. Bumrah knows he is the best in the business. But still, he does not allow any complacency to enter. I think that shows a lot of character.

On how he motivated Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakaravarthy through tough times during the tournament:

I was constantly having conversations with Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakaravarthy throughout the T20 World Cup. I told them one thing, it is not necessary that you will perform well in every game. Performance is not guaranteed. After one year of hard work, sometimes a small dip in form happens. It is very important to respect that too. Because this is sport. You will see more failures than success. So respecting that time is important.

When you respect that time and take two steps back, it is like a bow and arrow. When you pull the arrow back, it does not mean life is pushing you back. It means it is going to launch you for something big. I told both the world number ones, Abhishek and Varun, that you are made for the big stage. No matter what happens. Even if you don't perform well in seven games, it is okay. If we reach the final, you will play and dominate. It was written in their destiny that both would perform well in the final. And it happened. They did not stop working hard. Abhishek and Varun were always disciplined and stayed put to cricket. They got their reward in the final."

On the team's goals after winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026

In 2024, our ICC trophy drought ended after we won the T20 World Cup. After that, we won the Champions Trophy and now the T20 World Cup here in Ahmedabad. So three back-to-back ICC trophies. There is nothing to look back now. Whatever ICC event comes next, we will play the way we have been playing since 2024.

The ODI World Cup will come in 2027. As for this T20 team, I don't think we can relax. In 2028, there is a bigger event than this. The LA Olympics will have cricket for the first time. That Olympic gold will definitely be our top priority. And the same year, there is the T20 World Cup again. We have won the trophy two times in a row, three times in a row is the next goal.