The celebrations were at an all-time high in Ahmedabad when Suryakumar Yadav began speaking about the next mountain to climb. India had just lifted their consecutive T20 World Cup trophy after a marvellous win over New Zealand, but the skipper was already looking beyond the moment.
At the post-match press conference, Suryakumar made it clear that the team’s ambitions will not stop with this title. With cricket set to return to the Olympic Games in 2028, the Indian captain revealed that winning an Olympic gold medal is now on the team’s radar.
“The next goal is the Olympics. Olympic gold and also the T20 World Cup that year. Don’t forget,” Suryakumar said at a crowded post-match media conference in Ahmedabad.
The statement also brought clarity around Suryakumar’s future. After Rohit Sharma retired from T20Is following India’s 2024 World Cup triumph in Barbados, there had been speculation about whether the new captain might consider stepping away after leading India to another title. Instead, Suryakumar has made it clear that he intends to continue guiding the team into the next major cycle. While the form may not be on his side anymore, there’s no denying that his captaincy and leadership has been great.
Olympic gold now the next target for India
Cricket will return to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028, marking its first appearance at the event in 128 years. The sport will be played in the T20 format, with six teams each in the men’s and women’s competitions. A total of 90 players will feature in each event, with the qualification process still to be finalised.
Based on current ICC T20 rankings, the Indian men’s team is expected to qualify from Asia if the format remains ranking-based. It could be a historic moment for India as they look unbeatable in the format. Suryakumar also reflected on the journey that led to India’s third T20 World Cup title and admitted that the magnitude of the achievement had not fully sunk in yet.
“It’ll take a little bit of time to sink in. We have just come out of a game. It was a good game. Playing at home. When we wake up tomorrow and go back home, I don’t know where we are going, but it will be a special feeling. Whatever happened in the last two years post 2024 T20 World Cup has been unbelievable and I don’t know how to express it. It has been a wonderful journey.”
“Obviously it has been a wonderful journey in the last one month though it didn’t start the way we wanted it to start but then it’s part of the sport. Throughout the journey till today it has been very special and collectively as a team what we have achieved I think is right in front of you [trophy]. So, [I’m] very happy with that and the next goal is the Olympic gold and also the team that we work with.”
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