Suryakumar Yadav has made my job a lot easier, says India head coach Gautam Gambhir

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has lavished praise on T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership, stating that the 35-year-old has made his coaching job significantly easier in the shortest format of the game with his calm presence and player-management skills.

Speaking in a video shared by Star Sports, Gambhir highlighted that Suryakumar’s biggest strength as a captain goes far beyond his strokeplay or match-winning abilities with the bat. The former India opener stressed that what truly sets Suryakumar apart is the way he connects with players and maintains a relaxed environment within the group, something every coach hopes for at the highest level.

“Surya has made my life a lot easier in this format and I think he's a phenomenal leader of men; not by what he does on the cricket field, not by what he does as a batsman, what shots he has, all that probably you can keep it aside,” Gambhir said.

“The way he relates to players, the way he talks to players, the way he spends time with players, how much he's relaxed on the field… sometimes as a coach you know that you can think about a lot of other things because he's going to keep the atmosphere pretty much calm, what any coach can dream of,” he added.

Furthermore, the New Delhi-born went on to underline that while Suryakumar’s performances as a player speak for themselves, it is his leadership qualities that have truly impressed him during the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

“For me, I think Surya the player, I can keep him aside, but Surya as a leader, for me, I think he's ticked every box and he's just a phenomenal leader, which has made my life a lot easier. Probably it's a great thing when you have someone like him leading the country because his heart is in the right place and he takes the right decisions, especially when things are under pressure," Gambhir concluded.

Under the coach-captain duo, the Indian team has revolutionised the T20I batting with their ultra-aggressive batting. And they are expected to go deep in the ongoing twenty-team tournament. The Men in Blue opened their account with a win over the Americans in their opening match at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, where Suryakumar played an instrumental knock, indeed playing a captain's knock.