India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav said he regrets never playing under MS Dhoni, whom he admired. He reflected on contrasting leaders, calling Virat Kohli a ‘hard taskmaster’ and Rohit Sharma an approachable inspiration for youngsters.
India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav revealed that he feels “unfortunate” about never having the opportunity to play under the legendary MS Dhoni’s captaincy stint with the Indian team, a stalwart he always tried to learn from while playing for the opposition.
Suryakumar, a flamboyant batter, was a late bloomer, making his debut under Virat Kohli’s stewardship against England in 2021 in Ahmedabad. He didn’t get an opportunity to bat on his debut game, but soon announced himself to the world with his unorthodox strokeplay that was executed with a touch of flair.
The 35-year-old made his domestic debut for Mumbai in 2010 but had to wait over a decade for a chance to shine on the international circuit. Last year, he was rewarded for his consistency with the captaincy mantle in the T20Is, which was previously held by Rohit Sharma.
Suryakumar Yadav’s missed opportunity
After clinching the Asia Cup unbeaten in Dubai last week, Suryakumar spilled the beans about losing out on the prospect to play under ‘Captain Cool’ Dhoni. While he has encountered him on numerous occasions in the cash-rich Indian Premier League, Suryakumar has used it as a platform to learn whatever he can by observing the legendary Indian skipper.
“Firstly, I always wanted to get an opportunity when he was the captain of India. But I never got it. I saw him behind the stumps whenever I played against him. He has been very cool. One thing that I have learned from him when I played against him is to stay relaxed in all pressure situations, he looks around the game, sees around what is happening and then takes a call,” Suryakumar said during JITO Connect 2025.
Captaincy Styles of Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav
After eventually earning his debut under Virat, Suryakumar was impressed by his ability to push the players to their limits and get the best out of them, with his energetic persona both on and off the field.
“I think I made my debut under Virat bhai as captain. I think Virat Bhai is a very hard task master. He pushes your limits, and he wants the best. I mean, all the captains want the best from all the players, but he was full of energy on the field and off the field as well. He was a bit different,” he added.
Under Rohit, Suryakumar pulled off the match-winning catch in the T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa in Barbados. Suryakumar has played several games under Rohit’s command in the Mumbai Indians and the Indian team. Suryakumar revealed that the veteran swashbuckler, who is known to make everyone comfortable around him, kept his door open for everyone all the time.
“Then Rohit bhai, under whom I played a lot of cricket for the IPL franchise and India. He is someone who gets everyone comfortable around them, an inspiration to all youngsters. His door was open 24/7 for everyone. That’s a different quality which I learnt from him and also from the other captains,” he concluded.
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