'He has MS Dhoni-like poise' - USA cricketer hails Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav

In a match that had fans on the edge of their chairs, India captain Suryakumar Yadav delivered a masterclass in calm under pressure, prompting high praise from an unlikely source, USA spinner Harmeet Singh, at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. 

India looked in trouble against the United States in their group-stage clash in Mumbai, with early wickets leaving the hosts in a precarious spot. But Suryakumar stood tall, anchoring the innings with a brilliant unbeaten 84 off 49 that guided India to a competitive total.

After the game, Harmeet,  who returned with tidy figures of 4-0-26-2 expressed his admiration for India’s skipper, likening his maturity and temperament to one of the game’s most iconic leaders.

“Of course, we used to imagine all that, but success came late for him. He was always... I think he has got the poise now, which MS Dhoni also had later in his career. The flair that he had as a stroke-player, he played a sensible innings, and he finished the game and played a proper knock,” Harmeet told reporters, drawing a straight comparison to the legendary former India captain.

Harmeet also pointed to the maturity that comes with experience, something he said Suryakumar now displays consistently, just as Virat Kohli did at his peak.

“The maturity which (players like) Virat (Kohli) have, I played a matured knock and that is what happens with experience and (with) the kind of job he has been given. He is doing a great job,” he concluded. 

One of the best knocks of Suryakumar Yadav’s career: Virender Sehwag

Legendary opener Virender Sehwag was all-praise for Suryakumar’s impressive knock that singlehandedly helped India avoid a defeat at the hands of the USA.

“Imagine if the Indian team had been all out for just 100, we wouldn’t have said that a weak team like the USA beat India. They have also qualified for the World Cup. That’s why I feel it was one of the best knocks of Suryakumar Yadav’s career. I always say, focus on the ball and not the bowler, because if it pitches in the right area, you have to respect it. If you go for your shots on a good ball, you might get out,” said Sehwag on describing the importance of Surya’s innings.

The Men in Blue opened their campaign with a nervy win over USA, and will now face Namibia on February 12 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi.