Former India player turned commentator Aakash Chopra has praised Suryakumar Yadav for playing a match-winning knock in India’s T20 World Cup 2026 match against the United States of America (USA). He added that the Indian captain might be leading his side for the first and last time in a T20 World Cup as well. However, Suryakumar scored an unbeaten 84 off 49 as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “No matter how much you praise Suryakumar Yadav, it’s less, and I will tell you plenty of reasons why. This was his 25th T20I half-century. He has played two matches against USA and has scored half-centuries in both. He played the last World Cup and took that (David Miller’s) catch.”

“However, this World Cup could be his first and last chance because he might not be there as a captain after this World Cup. He took the Indian team to a total where you could have won despite Jasprit Bumrah’s absence. The thing that is so endearing is that India were stuck at one stage. It seemed like we won’t be able to play 20 overs. It seemed like it would be great if we scored even 125-130 because wickets were falling one after the other,” he shared.

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However, Aakash Chopra also added that Suryakumar Yadav’s place in Team India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad was being questioned due to a long, poor run.

“He was playing slowly at the start and absorbing the pressure, that he had to remind everyone once again who Suryakumar Yadav is because he hadn’t scored runs for the last one year. He was criticized a lot, and questions were asked repeatedly whether he would have been in the team had he not been the captain, whether what happened with Shubman Gill should have happened with him as well,” he said.

“However, as it’s said, form is temporary, class is permanent. The clouds can hide Surya for some time, but no one can stop Surya from shining. Its brightness illuminates the entire world. He batted like that. He took his time, took the innings deep, and then he flourished. 21 runs came from his bat in the 20th over. He was outstanding. He managed the first innings beautifully with his bat,” Aakash Chopra concluded..