India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, has once again weighed in on the famed India versus Pakistan rivalry, asserting that the dynamic between the two teams has fundamentally shifted. He made a bold remark suggesting that the time when Pakistan used to dominate India in cricket is an era long past.
Suryakumar Yadav shuts 'India-Pakistan rivalry' once and for all
When questioned about his previous comment during the Asia Cup 2025, where he stated that he does not see a rivalry between the two sides, Suryakumar once again shrugged off the notion. While it is true that India holds a perfect record against their rivals in both the ODI and T20I World Cups, Pakistani players and journalists have been quick to point out that Pakistan still maintains a lead in overall head-to-head wins across both formats.
Despite these historical records, the Indian skipper remained unfazed. He very politely made it clear that such overall statistics have never crossed his mind because, throughout his playing career and memory, the Men in Blue have consistently been the dominant side.
“I’ve never come across that record. I haven’t seen them winning since I came. Since I have been watching and playing cricket, I have never seen that they have won against us,” Suryakumar Yadav said on News24.
Our legacy has not gone down like Pakistan: Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar confidently conceded that Pakistan once had a strong team and played excellent cricket during their peak years. However, he was quick to point out the divergence in the teams' trajectories. He highlighted that India's standard of cricket has remained consistently high over the years, whereas Pakistan's performance graph has noticeably dipped. According to him, India's cricketing legacy is not just alive, but is now thriving and stronger than ever.
“Yes, I agree that they were a very strong team at that time, and they played well. But we also played good cricket in the past as well, and India is still playing. But our legacy has not gone down like theirs. Our level hasn’t dropped, and our legacy continues strongly,” he added.
The 35-year-old explosive batter believes that the fundamental reason for the Indian team's exceptional success over the last 15 months is their fearless mindset. This period stands out as one of the most fruitful in recent memory for Indian cricket, with the team securing two ICC trophies and the Asia Cup title.
This incredible run began with the T20 World Cup triumph in June 2024, which was followed by the Champions Trophy win in February of the current year. Most recently, Suryakumar himself captained India to another victory, securing the Asia Cup title in the T20 format just last month. These victories serve as clear evidence that the team's confidence and on-field aggression are yielding remarkable results.
Suryakumar credits this success to the players learning to remain positive and play with complete freedom, particularly during high-pressure situations. Instead of being preoccupied with the fear of failure or losing, the players have chosen to focus on attacking the opposition and enjoying the game. According to Suryakumar, this aggressive, positive mental approach has undoubtedly worked wonders for the Indian cricket team.