'Team victories often overshadow individual performances' - Former coach concerned over Suryakumar Yadav's poor form
“As India's T20I Captain, Suryakumar’s extended run without significant scores at number three will inevitably create internal scrutiny,” said Nayar.
India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has been doing a terrific job as the leader, ever since taking over the role full-time. He recently led the Men in Blue to their second T20 Asia Cup title, and became the only captain after MS Dhoni to do so. However, when it comes to individual performances, the Mumbai batter is far from being an ideal No. 3 batter for the Indian team.
In 2025, Suryakumar has scored just 100 runs off 12 matches without getting a single half-century before the start of the Australian tour. His strike-rate this year has been around 105, which is extremely poor, to say the least. Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar believes that Suryakumar should work on his numbers, or else, it would invite some internal scrutiny for the 35-year-old.
“This Australian tour presents an interesting scenario. While team victories often overshadow individual performances, any downturn in results will raise questions. As India's T20I Captain and someone who’s been the number one-ranked batter in T20I cricket for a long period of time, Suryakumar’s extended run without significant scores at number three will inevitably create internal scrutiny," said Nayar via JioStar show Game Plan.
“We know his calibre and impact potential, and Australian conditions with their bounce and pace should actually benefit his batting style. Ultimately, the biggest questions will come from within, as this current output doesn’t reflect his true capabilities,” he added.
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When it comes to Suryakumar's overall numbers in the shortest format of the game, he is surely among the best T20I batters India have ever produced. He has 2670 runs from 90 matches, averaging well over 35, and having a tally of four centuries against his name with less than five years of experience in international cricket. This makes him the Indian batter with most centuries in the T20I format after Rohit Sharma, who has five, having retired in June 2024.
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