'Suryakumar Yadav should definitely captain a side in IPL' - Sadagoppan Ramesh lauds MI batter's leadership skills

Sadagoppan Ramesh has backed Suryakumar Yadav to take on the captaincy role in the Indian Premier League (IPL), highlighting the 35-year-old's proven leadership abilities. Ramesh's endorsement comes as Mumbai Indians consider their captaincy options following the franchise's poor performance in IPL 2026, when they finished ninth and were eliminated way ahead of the playoffs.

Ramesh stated that Suryakumar has demonstrated the qualities required to lead an IPL franchise successfully. The former India cricketer emphasised Suryakumar's approach to man-management and his ability to handle difficult situations with maturity and communication.

"Surya really shone as a player's captain. In my opinion, Surya should definitely captain a side in the IPL. MI will be well-served if they make Surya the captain," Ramesh said on his Instagram handle.

Ramesh specifically highlighted Suryakumar's conduct during the T20 World Cup earlier this year, where India won the tournament under his captaincy. The former cricketer praised how Suryakumar handled the situation involving Sanju Samson, demonstrating his commitment to transparent communication with his players.

In a recent interview, Suryakumar revealed that Samson, who was in and out of the team in the early goings of the tournament, selflessly urged the skipper to pick the best combination possible for a game.

"Suryakumar Yadav spoke about how Samson's response to being dropped during the T20 World Cup impressed him. At that moment, Surya shone as a captain and Sanju as a team player. Many captains won't communicate with the player about their exclusion, but Surya made the effort," Ramesh said.

Suryakumar had captained India's T20I team since 2024, leading the side to victory in the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup and the 2025 Asia Cup. Under his leadership, India won 40 of their 52 T20 Internationals, with only eight losses, including series wins in South Africa and Australia.

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In the IPL, Suryakumar has led Mumbai Indians in five games between 2023 and 2026 but has never held the position as full-time captain. During IPL 2026, Hardik Pandya captained the franchise with Suryakumar serving as vice-captain. Ramesh's comments suggested that the franchise should consider elevating Suryakumar to the captaincy role ahead of the next season.