Suryakumar Yadav carries an unmistakable air of confidence in every step that he takes, both on and off the field. As the Indian team prepares to face the Proteas in a five-match T20I series in Cuttack, the captain remains unfazed by his recent run of low scores.
With the spotlight on Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya, who are both returning back in the team after injuries, focus will also be on Suryakumar. It has been 18 T20Is since the current T20I captain of India scored a fifty (75 off 35 against Bangladesh last year) in the shortest ormat. Despite the team doing exceptionally well (Asia Cup victory and T20I series wins against Australia and England), Suryakumar’s slump in form will be concerning for the Indian team management.
With just 10 more T20Is (five match series each against South Africa and New Zealand) before the T20 World Cup next year, Suryakumar will look to be back amongst runs. The Mumbaikar will look to break free from the shackles of poor form in the upcoming five-match T20I series against the Proteas. On Monday, during the practice session at the Barabati stadium, he batted with confidence in the nets.
Despite a string of low scores, Suryakumar hasn’t really looked rusty once he has been out in the middle. He has invariably batted with positive intent, whether it requires steadying the innings, accelerating the run rate, or taking calculated risks.
Here is a look at the recent scores of Suryakumar Yadav in T20Is:
T20I series against Australia: 39*(24) in Canberra, 1(4) in Melbourne, 24(11) in Hobart, 20(10)
Asia Cup 2025: 1(Pakistan), 12(Sri Lanka), 5(Bangladesh), 0(Pakistan), 47*(Pakistan), 7(UAE)
T20I series against England: 0(Kolkata), 12(Chennai), 14(Rajkot), 0(Pune), 2(Mumbai)
Despite his recent dip in form, Suryakumar continues to enjoy the full confidence of the team management. They know that when he’s firing, he can change a game on his own—and that’s an invaluable asset. His leadership qualities were on full display during the successful Asia Cup campaign, even though the runs didn’t come freely for him. With the T20 World Cup fast approaching, India is counting on him to step up. He’s put in the preparation; now it’s just about converting that into runs again.
“The preparation for the 2026 World Cup started after the 2024 World Cup ended. When we give exams in school, it is not like everyone studies in the last four days. We study for a year or two. Our preparation is the same,” said Suryakumar during the pre-match press conference in Cuttack.
Suryakumar has also made it clear that he won’t alter the team environment because of his own dip in form. Despite his lean patch, the team has performed exceptionally well in the shortest format —India have won 25 of 29 T20Is under his leadership. The team management will be hoping that he rediscovers his scoring touch, starting with the first T20I in Cuttack, on Tuesday.
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