Nothing's come easy for Suryakumar Yadav: Rohit Sharma reacts after captaincy sack

India captain Rohit Sharma has thrown his support behind Suryakumar Yadav after the batter was dropped from India's T20I side and stripped of the captaincy, saying that nothing has ever come easy for the Mumbai star.

Speaking on the sidelines of the T20 Mumbai League on Saturday, Rohit reflected on Suryakumar's journey to the top, highlighting the perseverance that helped him break into the Indian team in his thirties and eventually lead the side to T20 World Cup glory.

"I'm pretty sure nothing has come easy, especially for Surya," Rohit said.

"He made his India debut at 30 or 31, if I'm not wrong, which means that he never gave up. He always wanted to be in the fight and when it came, he wanted to grab it with both hands, and he did it."

The remarks came hours after India's selectors unveiled a new-look T20I squad for the upcoming tours of Ireland and England. Shreyas Iyer was named captain, while Suryakumar was left out of the side altogether as India began planning for the 2028 T20 World Cup and the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Suryakumar's omission marked the end of a remarkable chapter in India's T20I setup. Since making his debut in March 2021, the Mumbai batter has scored 3,272 runs in 113 matches at an average of 36.35 and a strike-rate of 162.94. His record includes 25 half-centuries and four centuries, numbers that helped establish him as one of the most destructive T20 batters in world cricket.

After Rohit retired from T20Is following India's World Cup triumph in 2024, Suryakumar was handed the captaincy. His tenure proved to be a successful one as India won every bilateral T20I series under his leadership before creating history by becoming the first team to successfully defend a T20 World Cup title in Ahmedabad earlier this year.

ROHIT BACKS SHREYAS AS INDIA'S NEW CAPTAIN

While paying tribute to Suryakumar's journey, Rohit also backed Shreyas Iyer to succeed in his new role as India's T20I captain.

Iyer's appointment comes on the back of an impressive run as a leader in franchise cricket. He guided Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title in 2024 before leading Punjab Kings to the final the following season, re-establishing himself as one of the most respected captains in the Indian game.

Rohit believes those experiences will hold him in good stead as he takes charge of the national team.

"I'm sure looking at how he has captained in the last few years for his franchise, he's going to have a good time," Rohit said.

The India captain added that growing up in Mumbai cricket prepares players for the pressures and expectations that come with leadership.

"Look, playing in Mumbai, representing Mumbai teaches you a lot of things. If you ask anyone who has captained India or Mumbai before us, they'll tell you the same thing."

"Nothing comes easy here. You have to really earn it, so captaincy is also something that you have to earn and earn the respect of people around you. That is something that all these guys have."

ROHIT PRAISES MUMBAI'S TALENT PIPELINE

Rohit also used the opportunity to praise the T20 Mumbai League, saying the competition continues to produce exceptional talent for Indian cricket.

The tournament, which is currently being played alongside the inaugural women's edition, has become an important platform for young cricketers looking to break through into domestic and franchise cricket.

"Looking at what has happened and what has transpired, I'm not at all surprised by it because the talent that we get to see is unreal," Rohit said.

"We want the platform for all the players to come out and show their talent and this is the perfect platform for a lot of these guys who are playing and taking part in it."

With Shreyas now set to begin a new era in India's T20I setup, Rohit's comments served as both a tribute to Suryakumar's journey and an endorsement of the man chosen to succeed him.