Suryakumar Yadav produced a quick-fire innings of 48 runs from 24 balls just hours after losing the captaincy of India's men's T20I team to Shreyas Iyer.
The change in leadership was announced ahead of India's upcoming T20I series against Ireland and England on Saturday. Later the same day, Suryakumar and Iyer met during a T20 Mumbai League match between Triumphs Knights MNE and SoBo Mumbai Falcons.
Suryakumar, who captains Triumphs Knights MNE, greeted Iyer before the match. The two Mumbai cricketers shared a hug in the presence of Rohit Sharma. Although Iyer did not play in the match, he attended the game after being named India's new T20I captain.
Speaking at the toss, Suryakumar congratulated Iyer on the appointment.
"I am so happy for Shreyas for becoming the captain of the Indian T20I team. We have played all our cricket together here in Mumbai and it feels amazing that the last three T20 captains of India have all come from Mumbai," he said.
Suryakumar then responded with the bat, scoring 48 runs from just 24 deliveries. His innings included three fours and four sixes.
Earlier in the day, chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained the decision to appoint Iyer as captain. He described the 31-year-old as a strong candidate because of his leadership experience across different IPL teams.
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Agarkar said Iyer's captaincy record played a major role in the decision. Iyer led Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title in 2024, guided Punjab Kings to a runners-up finish in 2025 and previously took Delhi Capitals to the IPL final in 2020.
"He is, in my opinion, a standout candidate with enough experience now having led in the T20 format," Agarkar said during a press conference at the BCCI headquarters.
The selector also acknowledged that replacing Suryakumar was not an easy decision. The 35-year-old had led India to the T20 World Cup title three months earlier.
However, Suryakumar has faced a difficult run with the bat in recent months. He scored 242 runs in nine innings during the T20 World Cup, with an unbeaten 84 against the United States being his highest contribution. His IPL 2026 campaign was also below expectations, as he managed 270 runs in 13 innings at an average of 20.76.
Following the leadership change, Suryakumar has not been included in India's squads for the tours of Ireland and England, as well as the upcoming Asian Games.
The appointment of Iyer marks a new chapter for India's T20I team, with selectors placing their trust in a captain who has built a strong leadership record in domestic and franchise cricket. Attention will now turn to India's upcoming assignments under his captaincy.