For the first time since his T20I runs dried up, Suryakumar Yadav has openly acknowledged that his struggles have lasted longer than expected. India’s T20I captain, however, remains confident of turning things around before the T20 World Cup begins on February 7.
Speaking at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai after India announced their T20 World Cup squad, Suryakumar admitted the phase has tested him. “Ye waala patch thoda lamba ho gaya,” he said in the press conference where the squad was announced. “I know what to do, I know where things are going wrong. I’ve got some time to work on it. You’ll definitely see Surya back.”
Suryakumar Stats Paint a Bleak Picture
The statistics underline why the scrutiny around Suryakumar has intensified, so much so that there were talks of dropping him from the T20I squad. Over the past year, he has averaged just 12.84 in T20Is with a strike rate of 117.87, without scoring a single half-century across 22 innings while batting at Nos. 3 and 4.
His recent home series against South Africa summed up the struggle, with scores of 12, 5, 12 and 5. With only five T20Is left before the World Cup, time is running out for India’s premier middle-order batter to rediscover consistency.
Suryakumar’s downturn began soon after he took over the T20I captaincy following India’s title-winning campaign in the 2024 T20 World Cup. A tour of South Africa late last year offered little respite, and the home series against England earlier this year proved equally difficult, where he managed just one double-digit score and registered two ducks.
There were brief signs of recovery. An unbeaten 47 against Pakistan in the Asia Cup and a productive tour of Australia, where he struck at over 160 in multiple innings, hinted at a revival. However, once back in Indian conditions, the runs dried up again, culminating in an average of 8.50 in the recent South Africa series at home.
‘Not Out Of Form, Just Out Of Runs’
Despite the prolonged slump, Suryakumar has consistently rejected the idea that his game is broken. He revealed that he has been revisiting footage from his peak years and spending long hours in the nets to iron out issues.
“I’ve been watching my old videos for the past three months,” he said. “I’ve been batting beautifully in the nets. This is a small hurdle. It’s invisible — I can’t see it — but I’ll overcome it.”
India’s selectors have shown faith in Suryakumar despite the lack of runs. While vice-captain Shubman Gill was left out of the World Cup squad after his own struggles, chief selector Ajit Agarkar stressed Suryakumar’s pedigree.
“Over the last few years, he has been the No. 1 T20 batter in the world,” Agarkar said. “He knows what he needs to do, and hopefully by the World Cup, he’s back to being that player.”
With belief intact but opportunities limited, the onus is now on Suryakumar to ensure confidence turns into runs before India begin their title defence.
