IND vs SL: Will Suryakumar Yadav’s captaincy affect his performance?

Suryakumar Yadav, who boasts a solid record as India’s T20I captain with five wins and two losses, is gearing up to lead the Indian team in the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka. Yadav, known for his explosive batting, has scored 300 runs at an average of 42 with a striking rate of 164 in T20Is. His remarkable performance has earned him a spot among India’s top T20I batters, despite his debut being relatively recent.

Since his debut in 2021, Yadav has scored the third-most runs in T20Is and holds the highest strike rate among players with over 1000 runs. Even after an injury setback last year, he returned strong and shone in the T20 World Cup. However, this series will mark his first time captaining a full-strength Indian side in ODIs.

While Yadav has led India in T20I series before, those teams were not at full strength. He now faces the challenge of leading a complete squad, including stars like Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, who were previously absent. His previous captaincy experiences, though positive, were under different conditions, and it remains to be seen how the added responsibility of captaincy will influence his batting.