Right from the moment he walked out for the squad selection meeting at the BCCI headquarters, Suryakumar Yadav looked in a jovial mood. Even at the press conference, when tough questions were fired at him regarding selection and his form, Suryakumar answered them all with a gentle smile on his face. His body language was upbeat. Typical Surya.
He did not look like a player under immense pressure given his current run of form with the bat. When asked a couple of times about his dip in performances during the press conference, Suryakumar asserted that he has been batting beautifully in the nets. It is just that he has not been able to replicate the same in matches. Those who have seen him in the nets recently suggest the same. However, he has been unable to deliver when it matters the most.
No matter how many times he downplays questions regarding his form, the truth of the moment is that he is struggling, and he knows it.
A few hours before the squad announcement, the series decider against South Africa extended his run of T20I innings without a fifty to 22. An average of 12.84 and a strike rate of 117.87 underline Suryakumar’s struggles in the format. While the team has done well under his captaincy, “Surya the batter” has gone missing.
“Maybe the only thing we couldn’t quite manage was finding ‘Surya the batter’. I think he went missing somewhere! But he’ll be back stronger,” Suryakumar said at the press conference in Mumbai on Saturday.
There is merit in Suryakumar’s argument that form and runs are not always synonymous, especially in the volatile arena of T20 cricket. But with only five games left before the World Cup, the Indian skipper must now rediscover his mojo with the bat.
For that, the team management must consider batting him at number three. Irrespective of the match situation, Suryakumar should bat at No. 3, which would give him enough balls to find his rhythm and get back among the runs. His numbers at that position speak for themselves: 856 runs at an average of 32.92 and a strike rate of 159.40. In the past, Surya and the team management have made it clear that only the opening positions are fixed, while the rest of the batting line-up remains flexible. Versatility is an important aspect of T20 batting.
There is no harm in trying batters in different positions, but given Surya’s prolonged dip in form, it becomes crucial for the team management to give him a defined role over the upcoming five games. One good innings is all it takes for a player of Surya’s calibre to rediscover his touch. Hopefully for him, that innings comes soon, as India look to fine-tune their preparations ahead of the World Cup, against New Zealand.
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