Suryakumar Yadav’s Biggest Regret Involving MS Dhoni Revealed

Suryakumar Yadav lauded MS Dhoni’s leadership, emphasizing the 44-year-old’s notably calm and composed demeanor while captaining a team.

Suryakumar Yadav’s Biggest Regret Involving MS Dhoni Revealed

Suryakumar Yadav mentioned his biggest regret as not getting to play under MS Dhoni in the Indian team. (via NDTV Sports)

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Indian T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav recently revealed his biggest regret involving legendary World Cup-winning captain MS Dhoni. Yadav also reflected on the influence former captains like Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had on his career. 

Suryakumar Yadav made his international debut in 2021, a year after MS Dhoni had already retired from the national side. Having emerged on the biggest stage following years of struggle in domestic cricket, Yadav went on to hold the top spot in the ICC Men’s T20I Batting Rankings from 2022 to 2024. He also became the first player to win the ICC T20I Player of the Year award twice, in 2022 and 2023. 

In 84 T20Is since 2021, Suryakumar Yadav has scored 2,605 runs at an average of 38.30, hitting four hundreds and 21 fifties. He has also featured in 37 ODIs, scoring 773 runs at an average of 25.76. The high-point in the 35-year-old’s career came after the 2024 T20 WC triumph, when Yadav was named India’s new captain, succeeding Rohit Sharma, who had announced his retirement from the shortest format.

A year later, after leading India to the 2025 Asia Cup title, Suryakumar Yadav opened up about a personal regret in his cricketing career. The 35-year-old stated that he missed out on the opportunity to play under former captain MS Dhoni in the national side. While the two have played against each other in the IPL, Yadav described playing under the 44-year-old’s leadership as being a different experience. Yadav said at JITO Connect 2025:

Firstly, I always wanted to get an opportunity when he [MS Dhoni] was the captain of India. But I never got it. I saw him behind the stumps whenever I played against him.

He went on to praise Dhoni’s charismatic leadership attributes, and talked about the lessons that he learnt for the CSK legend. Yadav pointed to how relaxed the former India captain remains, and lauded his decision-making ability under pressure.

The MI star also reflected on his experience of having made his India debut under Virat Kohli, who he described as a hard task master. Yadav stated that Kohli always expects the best out of his players, and spoke about his energy on the pitch.

One thing that I have learned from him [MS Dhoni] 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 Yadav has already played under the leadership of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, but could not do so under Dhoni. The two did, however, share the dressing room once, during the 2021 T20 World Cup, where the CSK star was appointed as the Indian T20I team’s mentor.

Suryakumar Yadav Retains T20I Captaincy as Squad Announced for Australia Tour, Hardik Pandya Sits Out

Suryakumar Yadav will continue to lead the Indian T20I side, with the 35-year-old being announced as captain for the upcoming white-ball tour to Australia. The eight-match tour Down Under will include three ODIs and five T20Is, starting October 19.

Suryakumar Yadav T20I captain Hardik Pandya
Suryakumar Yadav has been named skipper for T20I series against Australia, with Hardik Pandya out injured. (via NDTV Sports)

The BCCI-appointed selection committee announced the 16-member squad for the T20I series against Australia. Yadav, who had a disappointing outing with the bat during India’s victorious 2025 Asia Cup campaign, was initially expected to be replaced. However, the selectors trust the veteran batter’s ability to lead the side, with him being handed the responsibility ahead of the much-awaited Australia series. 

Meanwhile, Shubman Gill will retain his role as vice-captain. The squad remains largely unchanged from the one that secured the 2025 Asia Cup, with Hardik Pandya being the only player to miss out due to an injury. He has been replaced by Nitish Kumar Reddy, while all-rounder Washington Sundar has also been picked for the Australia tour. Jasprit Bumrah has also been included, despite workload questions.

It is the Indian ODI side that has seen a major change. Shubman Gill, who now holds leadership positions across all the three formats of the game, has been appointed the new ODI captain, replacing Rohit Sharma, a decision that has left fans surprised.

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