Suryakumar Yadav shares a seamless partnership with 'good friend' Hardik Pandya on the field

India's T20I team has announced that Axar Patel will now serve as the country's vice-captain, replacing Hardik Pandya. This change came as a surprise to many, as it could affect the dynamics between T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pandya, whom he will be captained by in the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, Suryakumar Yadav has assured fans that this move will not impact his friendship with Pandya and that the latter will still remain a key member of India's T20I leadership group, despite not holding the official title of vice-captain.

"The relationship with him has been really great. We've been playing [together] for a really long time. I still remember that from 2018, when I went back to Mumbai Indians [we first played together] and [it's the same] till today," Suryakumar told the media in Kolkata. "It's just that the added responsibility that I've got [here]. When we go back to franchise cricket, I can get to be quiet and relax for a little bit.

"But we've been good friends on the field and we know what we want going forward with the India team. Axar has been given that added responsibility. We saw what he did in the 2024 T20 World Cup, he's been with the team for a very long time. At the same time, Hardik is also part of the leading group. When we sit, we decide what we want to do with the team going forward and even on the field, he is always around. We have a lot of captains on the ground."

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Suryakumar - who also took his first steps towards being one of the great T20I batters of his generation under Gautam Gambhir's captaincy at Kolkata Knight Riders - feels the working relationship he has with Gambhir is rock-solid. Since Gambhir took over as coach in mid-2024, India have T20I series wins in Sri Lanka, at home against Bangladesh, and in South Africa, losing just one game across those three series. While their Test form might be under scrutiny, in T20Is, Suryakumar believes they are moving in the "right direction" with Gambhir.

"I've played under Gambhir for four years, so I know how he works," Suryakumar said. "Even without speaking to him, we know what we need to do. He wasn't there on the tour of South Africa since he was preparing with the Test team, but we are moving in the right direction with him. He gives freedom, he allows players to express. He keeps things simple, he knows what is going inside a player's head. He keeps things light and maintains a good atmosphere."

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