New Delhi, February 10 A leadership transition at the apex of world cricket often feels like a sudden and unsettling change, full of unknowns.
However, when Suryakumar Yadav first stepped up to toss as captain of the newly crowned World Cup team, the transition felt more like a gentle seasonal shift.
It was seamless, natural, and reassuringly familiar.
Taking over from the immensely popular Rohit Sharma in 2024 was never going to be easy, yet Suryakumar made the handover appear almost effortless.
India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate believes that the elegance with which Suryakumar embraced the role has been as impressive as any of his 360-degree strokes, saying that the Mumbai batter never altered his personality or approach despite inheriting one of the most demanding jobs in the sport.
"He has sort of built a rapport with his team in 18 months, and I will never forget that he took over the World Championship side, which is extremely hard to do," Ten Doeschate said.
"Like I said earlier, the most pleasing or admirable thing for me has been how he hasn't changed his style for the 18 months. He has had some tough times with runs and no pressure put on him, but one thing that has been consistent is how he has addressed the group, the mood he has created in the camp at all times."
According to the former Netherlands international, Suryakumar's greatest strength has been his emotional stability.
He has the innate ability to remain the same person whether he walks in after a duck or a match-winning blitz.
"Whether he scores zero or a match-winning 82 like that, I don't know, he absolutely won't change and that has been almost therapeutic for the group to have that consistency," he said.
"His leadership has been of a very high standard in the last 18 months."