Captain Suryakumar Yadav’s Poor Form Continues in T20I
Suryakumar Yadav has been out of form for quite some time, and this should be a bit of concern about India’s best T20 batsman who dominated the format for a while like no one else. However, the team management would be expecting Suryakumar Yadav to regain the form in a 5-T20I long series. The 34-year-old has been the backbone of the Indian cricket team in the shortest format since his debut.
His ability to carry forward the innings with an aggressive approach sets him apart, and in just 81 matches he has also registered 146 sixes in the international setup, already in the top 5 six hitters list at T20 internationals since his debut. Suryakumar Yadav’s ability to play unorthodox shots makes him one of the toughest batsmen to bowl. Despite his unorthodox shot selection, he maintained incredible numbers in the T20 format. Currently seated at number 4 in the latest ICC T20I ranking.
Suryakumar Yadav’s form in 2024
Suryakumar Yadav had an average 2024 season for his caliber since his debut. His daring approach to the game saw him achieve great heights, but the year 2024 did not go like the earlier ones. In 18 matches, Surya scored 429 runs at an average of nearly 26.81 however, his strike rate during the period was above 150 but the longevity of the innings decreased which could be seen through his average. Though, he had a decent T20 World Cup in 2024. SKY’s form saw a massive dip after the T20 World Cup. Till now, he has scored 256 runs in 12 matches at an average of a mere 21.33, which is a bit of concern than his stats till the T20 World Cup 2024.
Recently, he had a poor outing in domestic tournaments as well. In the SMAT and Vijay Hazare Trophy, he underperformed as per his standard, which put extra pressure on the dominating batting squad of Mumbai. SKY had a horrible Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024/25, scoring just 38 runs in 4 innings. He scored 2 zeroes in the tournament. He also had a decent outing in SMAT, scoring 132 runs in 5 innings with a high score of 70. These stats don’t justify the talent and caliber that SKY possesses.
Is captaincy affecting his batting?
Ever since SKY took over the captaincy duty, his performance has declined. Earlier, he used to play freely without having any extra responsibility, and captaincy seemed to play in his mind. Sometimes, he overdoes things and does not look to settle a bit on the crease. Even in the recent T20I series, nothing is going well for him, at least as a batsman. His form will be crucial, and if the added responsibility is bothering the form, then he has to sort this out soon.
Suryakumar has got the backing of his teammates who are supporting him from the other end, he just needs to calm down a bit and get the rhythm back. Once he is in the loop it would be difficult to stop him. He will need to spend a little bit of extra time in the middle.
Is lack of role clarity affecting Suryakumar Yadav?
Suryakumar Yadav has batted consistently in a particular batting position when played under others. After becoming captain, a different kind of decision-making has been seen, like maintaining a left-right combination by promoting Tilak Varma when a left-hander is dismissed and he comes when a right-handed is dismissed.
While this may seem argumentative, the fact is that India has a dominant top order that plays the major part in 20 overs. As a result, SKY is left with only a handful to perform like he used to. However, SKY would like to maximize the opportunities coming to him and boost his confidence going ahead in the series and further tournaments.
Hand-eye coordination at 34
This can also be one of the reasons behind Suryakumar Yadav’s poor form. At 34 age, the body doesn’t react similarly to 30 or 32 years old. Hand-eye coordination is a must in cricket and for a player like SKY. Not an orthodox player, Surya naturally plays shots that require a lot of proper hand-eye coordination while timing the ball. This could also be one of the reasons affecting his game for less than a year.
Suryakumar Yadav would love to leave all these issues behind and go into the 4th match with new energy and look to regain his form. His form is vital for India to perform and dominate the T20 format once again.
