Two days after leading India to the T20 World Cup title, Suryakumar Yadav is still absorbing the magnitude of the achievement that places him in the distinguished company of legends like Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma, all of whom have captained India to ICC trophies.
Shortly after returning from Ahmedabad, where India won a record third ICC Men's T20 World Cup title on Sunday, Suryakumar reflected on the team’s successful campaign and shared his thoughts about the road ahead.
“It feels great to win in 2024 and then again in 2026. It is a very special feeling. When we lifted the trophy in 2024, we felt it would be incredible if we could repeat the achievement at home in 2026,” Surya said at his residence in Mumbai.
“The next target is to win the Olympic gold in 2028. The team has strong momentum right now. If India can also win the T20 World Cup that year, it would be fantastic,” he said.
When asked about being compared with captains such as Rohit and Dhoni, he said he is still coming to terms with the recognition. “It feels good to be part of that elite company. I am slowly realising it. It is a special feeling to be mentioned alongside such great players. I will try to continue doing my best and help India win more trophies in the future,” he added.
Rohit Sharma had captained India when the team ended its ICC trophy drought by winning the T20 World Cup in Barbados in June 2024, while Dhoni famously led India to victories in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup.
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Kapil Dev’s side, meanwhile, won the historic 1983 ODI World Cup, which remains India’s first major global cricket triumph. Suryakumar also revealed that he had spoken to Dhoni ahead of the ICC tournament. “I had met him before the tournament and he advised me on how to approach an ICC event.
He said we have a very good team and if we play with courage, we will definitely win. His reaction after the victory was amazing,” the skipper said. The entire country is celebrating the triumph, and the Indian team also enjoyed a long night of celebrations after the final on Sunday.
“I wish I could share everything we did that night after becoming world champions, but we had a wonderful time. We were awake until 8 in the morning,” Suryakumar said with a smile. He is now turning his focus to the upcoming Indian Premier League, which begins on March 28.
“For now the plan is to take some rest and then start preparing for the IPL. In the next cycle we will begin our preparations for the Olympics, where our goal will be to win the gold medal,” he said, referring to the 2028 Summer Olympics scheduled to be held in Los Angeles.
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