Suryakumar Yadav’s place in T20I squad under scanner

Suryakumar Yadav’s prolonged lean patch with the bat could have ramifications beyond the Indian Premier League, with his T20I captaincy and even his place in the squad likely to come under scrutiny ahead of India’s tour of Ireland next month.

The Hindu understands that India’s T20I succession plan is expected to be informally discussed on the sidelines of the senior national selection committee meeting in Guwahati on May 19. While the meeting has officially been convened to pick the Test squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan, the selectors are also likely to initiate conversations around the T20I set-up for the Ireland and England tours, for which the squad will be selected early in June.

It will be the first in-person meeting of the selection panel since India’s T20 World Cup triumph on March 8 under Suryakumar’s leadership. Initially, a section of the selectors, team management and the BCCI hierarchy had been inclined towards continuing with the winning combination through the Ireland and England assignments.

However, Suryakumar’s “evident struggles” with the bat — first during the World Cup and now in IPL 2026 — have prompted some within the decision-making group to acknowledge that the transition process may need to begin sooner rather than later.

Despite the ODI World Cup in 2027 remaining the larger focus, the 2028 T20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand presents India with a rare chance to chase a third successive title. With Suryakumar set to turn 36 in September, there is growing belief among stakeholders that he may not remain part of the long-term T20 roadmap.

The challenge, however, lies in succession itself. India do not yet have a clear and proven candidate waiting in the wings.

Suryakumar’s batting numbers have dipped noticeably since taking over as permanent T20I captain in July 2024. Barring a strong IPL 2025 campaign, he has struggled to consistently impose himself with the bat — a downturn that has now spilled into the ongoing season as well.

Nabi in line for maiden Test call-up

Aaqib Nabi is likely to earn a maiden Test call-up after playing a key role in Jammu & Kashmir’s historic Ranji Trophy triumph. With Harshit Rana and Akash Deep unavailable, the selectors are likely to include the swing bowler in the 15-member squad for the Afghanistan Test. It also remains to be seen whether Jasprit Bumrah will be rested for the fixture.