Suryakumar, 35, first led the Men in Blue against Australia in late 2023 and has since captained India in 43 matches, boasting a remarkable 74.41% win rate—second only to Rohit Sharma. Despite these achievements, Pathan expressed surprise that Suryakumar’s leadership is not widely recognized.
“When you play at home, there is a lot of outside noise; that pressure to perform comes with it. Surya’s demeanor is quite relaxed, and the way he manages the side and talks to his players shows he is a very good captain. We don’t appreciate his record enough as a captain. If your win percentage is 80–85%, no one else has it, and if you win the World Cup on top of that, everyone has to talk about him as a captain,” Pathan said on his YouTube channel.
Pathan further praised Suryakumar’s on-field decision-making: “Suppose Bumrah has a bad day, concedes over 50 runs in an important match, how Suryakumar pulls things back from there is remarkable. If other bowlers struggle, what Plan B will he bring in? I want to see that as well.”
Currently, Suryakumar ranks as India’s third most successful T20I captain, trailing only MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.
Pathan Credits Suryakumar for India’s T20I Batting Revolution
Pathan also credited Suryakumar with initiating India’s ultra-aggressive T20 batting approach, paving the way for stars like Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, and Ishan Kishan. “Before these players arrived, it was Surya who was the No.1 ranked batter, playing at a strike rate of 160 with an excellent average. He disappeared in 2025, but now he is back,” Pathan noted.
Suryakumar’s recent performances have reinforced his form, as he was named player of the series in India’s T20I series against New Zealand. His resurgence provides a major boost for the Men in Blue ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
