India, June 4 -- No team in the history of the T20 World Cup had ever defended the crown. India changed that in March this year. Under Suryakumar Yadav, they lifted a third title, becoming both the most successful team in the tournament's history and the first to retain it.

Three months later, Suryakumar is reportedly set to lose his place - not just as captain, but as a player. The leadership was never the issue. His form was.

An MVP-winning 700-run IPL season last year and a handful of fifties earlier this year, including the counter-attacking 84* off 49 balls against the USA in India's T20 World Cup opener at the Wankhede Stadium, offered a faint hope that he could continue in India's T20I setup. But a disappointing IPL 2026 campaign...