Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has endorsed Sanju Samson as a potential replacement for Suryakumar Yadav as India's T20I captain following the team's T20 World Cup triumph. Samson contributed significantly with a hat-trick of half-centuries during the tournament. At 35, Yadav's long-term captaincy prospects appear limited ahead of major events in 2028.
India's recent T20 World Cup victory has sparked discussions on captaincy succession, with Sanju Samson emerging as a strong contender to succeed Suryakumar Yadav. Yadav, aged 35, led India to the title on Sunday, becoming the fourth World Cup-winning captain alongside Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and Harmanpreet Kaur. However, his age raises doubts about continuing in the role, especially with the next T20 World Cup scheduled for 2028 in Australia and the LA 2028 Summer Olympics on the horizon, by which time Yadav will be 37.
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif highlighted Samson's credentials in an interview with Ravish Bisht. "Tough to say right now as to who would become the next captain, but Samson could well be the one. I mean, why not? A Captain must be someone who has seen the world. Implementing bowling changes, playing the perfect XI, and backing players out of form, as with Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakaravarthy," Kaif said. He added, "So, I feel, Samson sure can be a candidate. However, if Surya keeps playing well then he can hold on to the position longer. If you’re fit, you can play till 38-39. There’s no problem. And in the shorter format, you need more experience. Someone who has captained remains forever valuable. If Surya decides to step down, Sanju can fill that position. He has captained a lot in the IPL and took the Rajasthan Royals to the final (2022). He is only 31. Might be the next Indian captain."
Samson, 31, scored 299 runs in five matches, earning Player of the Tournament honors with three half-centuries. Previously, Shubman Gill was favored, but his poor T20I form has shifted focus. The BCCI selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, has moved on from Hardik Pandya in similar roles and may follow patterns seen in ODIs, where Rohit Sharma was succeeded by Gill after the ICC Champions Trophy.
Yadav faces challenges in maintaining form; he scored no fifties in 2025 but returned with three half-centuries in four matches against New Zealand and 82 against the USA before managing 34 against the Netherlands and a duck in the final. Samson is set to join Chennai Super Kings for IPL 2026.
