All posts tagged: Suryakumar Yadav form

Mumbai Indians not ready to drop Suryakumar Yadav, but recurring IPL 2026 struggles raise red flags

Mumbai Indians not ready to drop Suryakumar Yadav, but recurring IPL 2026 struggles raise red flags

It was only a year ago that Suryakumar Yadav was named the MVP of IPL 2025. It wasn’t just the 717 runs at an average of 65.18 or his strike rate of 167.91. He became the first non-opener to breach the 700-run mark, doing things that only SKY could pull off. Mumbai Indians’ Suryakumar Yadav walks off field after his dismissal by CSK’s Ramakrishna Ghosh during an IPL 2026 match (PTI) In the year since, he has maintained a strike rate close to 150, which by any standard is excellent in T20 cricket. But his average has dropped to 29 across competitions and, more worryingly, to just 20.33 in this IPL season. So what changed? Suryakumar’s struggles in T20 cricket over the last year have been no secret. It was a concern even before the start of this year, when India were a month away from the T20 World Cup at home. He responded with three fifties in the home series against New Zealand, followed by a match-saving 84* against the USA in the tournament …

‘This time he didn’t even need luck’: Sunil Gavaskar weighs in on Suryakumar Yadav’s return to form | Cricket News

‘This time he didn’t even need luck’: Sunil Gavaskar weighs in on Suryakumar Yadav’s return to form | Cricket News

Worries over Suryakumar Yadav’s form was a major talking point before the start of India’s ongoing T20I series against New Zealand. Three matches into it, the Indian captain seems to have shown that fans will probably get to see the best of him in the upcoming T20 World Cup, with Suryakumar playing a major role in India’s daunting batting displays thus far in the series. Former India captain and batting great Sunil Gavaskar has said that the innings in the first T20I is what Suryakumar needed. “His knock the other day in Raipur gave him exactly the confidence he needed. He hasn’t been short of form; he’s been short of runs,” said Gavaskar on Star Sports. Suryakumar scored a 22-ball 32 in the first match as India won by 48 runs. He has gone on to finish unbeaten on 82 off 37 in the second T20I and on 57 off 26 in the third. India won those two matches comfortably as well and have thus already confirmed victory in the five-match series.  “He has been …

Ishan and Surya back to their blizzarding selves, with fire in their eyes

Ishan and Surya back to their blizzarding selves, with fire in their eyes

The eyes told the story. Joy gleamed from Ishan Kishan’s when he completed his half-century, capping off a remarkable comeback from the cold, days spent waddling in uncertainty. Relief flickered in Suryakumar Yadav’s when he secured his first half-century in 23 innings, ending incessant criticism that has carried into the New Year. Together, they had sewn 122 thrilling runs to make a potentially steep trek resemble a strain-free stroll. The target of 209 was overhauled in a mere 15.2 overs, wielding authority that makes India a ferocious group in their World Cup defence, starting next month. The captain’s return to form and Ishan’s revival could not have been better timed, as the marquee tournament is exactly a fortnight away. It could not have arrived at a testier juncture either, with India uncharacteristically plummeting to 6 for 2 in 1.1 overs. The early jolts, those of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma with just six runs on the board, hauled India out of their comfort zone. Accustomed to turbocharged starts from Abhishek, India had to chalk up new …

Ashwin on Indian T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav’s knock

Ashwin on Indian T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav’s knock

Coming into the first T20I against New Zealand on Wednesday, Indian T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav was looking to gain some form ahead of this year’s T20 World Cup. Having scored 218 runs in 19 T20I innings in 2025 at an average of 13.62 and strike rate of 123.16, Yadav had one of his worst patches in his T20 career last year. With Yadav playing a 22-ball knock of 32 runs against New Zealand during India’s 48-run win over New Zealand in the first T20I at Nagpur, the Indian T20 captain shows glimpses of his form. Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has lauded Yadav’s start in the T20I series and termed it as ‘monkey off the back’ for the Indian captain. “Actually, it’s monkey off the back. Many people were talking about Suryakumar Yadav’s batting and form. In all honesty, you don’t have to aim for consistency in T20Is. About Surya, I liked one thing today, he got his form, he got those runs, he looked in good touch. But mostly in times from the past, …

‘Doesn’t change my identity’: Suryakumar Yadav after showing glimpses of destructive best in India vs New Zealand 1st T20I | Cricket News

‘Doesn’t change my identity’: Suryakumar Yadav after showing glimpses of destructive best in India vs New Zealand 1st T20I | Cricket News

Suryakumar Yadav’s innings in the first T20I that would’ve given Indian fans hope ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. The Indian captain has strugled to rediscover the destructive consistency he had before the 2024 T20 World Cup, which had resulted in him being recognised by many as the best T20 batter in the world. In the first T20I against New Zealand on Thursday, though, Suryakumar scored 32 in 22 balls and formed a 99-run partnership with Abhishek Sharma which came in just 47 balls. Suryakumar said after the match that it was the perfect time for him to walk in to bat, with India under some pressure after the early dismissals of Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan. “I felt good when I went in to bat. It was perfect time for me to go into bat. Good pressure situation,” said Suryakumar after the match. “And as I said earlier as well, I’ve been batting really well in the nets. It was just a matter of time when you play a few balls, bat the …

India vs New Zealand 1st T20I: Why Suryakumar Yadav has to score runs | Cricket News

India vs New Zealand 1st T20I: Why Suryakumar Yadav has to score runs | Cricket News

Only five matches separate India from their defence of the T20 World Cup on home soil next month. Since winning the showpiece event 18 months ago, they have won every single bilateral series they have played in the shortest format, winning 28 matches and losing just five in that period. They have a set squad that contains plenty of in-form, formidable world-beaters, especially for their own conditions. So why is there an air of slight uncertainty wafting around the VCA Stadium in Nagpur on the eve of the first of their five-match T20I series against New Zealand? For starters it may have to do with the opposition, and some recent results. In late 2024, New Zealand became the first team to whitewash India on their own turf in a three-match Test series. With a dramatic 41-run victory in Indore on Sunday, they won their first-ever ODI series on these shores, burying another proud home record. On Wednesday they embark on their third attempt to breach the Indian fortress in T20s, their first in a full …

‘I know where things are going wrong’: Suryakumar Yadav confident of turning around sinking form ahead of 2026 T20 World Cup | Cricket News

‘I know where things are going wrong’: Suryakumar Yadav confident of turning around sinking form ahead of 2026 T20 World Cup | Cricket News

India captain Suryakumar Yadav has asserted that he knows what has been going wrong for him and is confident that he will be back to his best during their upcoming T20I series at home against New Zealand. The series will act as a tune-up for the side ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, in which they play their first match on February 7. “I am sure everyone has seen this in their respective careers,” Suryakumar told reporters in a press conference in which India revealed their squad for the T20 World Cup. “I know what to do. I know where things are going wrong. I have got some time to work on it. We have the New Zealand series coming up and then the important T20 World Cup. You will definitely see Surya the batter,” he said. Suryakumar’s form has been on an almost steady downward trend since India won the 2024 T20 World Cup. He had taken over as captain in the format after the tournament and his low scores last year were …

‘Couldn’t find Surya the batter’: Suryakumar Yadav brutally honest about form struggles after South Africa series win | Cricket News

‘Couldn’t find Surya the batter’: Suryakumar Yadav brutally honest about form struggles after South Africa series win | Cricket News

India were largely clinical in their 3-1 series win over South Africa in their five-match T20I series, despite their captain and arguably best batter in the format being completely out of runs, as he himself put it after the third match. After the fifth T20I, Suryakumar admitted that his form remains among the few things that the team is lacking going into the 2026 T20 World Cup. “Maybe the only thing we couldn’t quite manage was finding Surya the batter, I think he went missing somewhere! (smiles) But he’ll be back stronger. As a team, I’m really happy,” Suryakumar said at the post-match presentation. “Whenever we were in trouble, someone always put their hand up and pulled us through. As captain, that’s very satisfying with the way this series went for us,” he added. Widely rated one of India’s greatest T20I batters, Suryakumar’s form has been on the wane since the team’s succesful 2024 T20 World Cup campaign. While the post-tournament dip in 2024, which was also when he took over as India’s permanent captain …

‘I am out of runs but not out of form,’ says Suryakumar Yadav as string of low scores continue in India’s third T20I win over South Africa | Cricket News

‘I am out of runs but not out of form,’ says Suryakumar Yadav as string of low scores continue in India’s third T20I win over South Africa | Cricket News

Suryakumar Yadav was all smiles after leading India to a comprehensive seven-wicket win over South Africa in the third T20I but admitted that the runs aren’t coming for him then way they usually do. At the same time though, the Indian captain feels that he is not out of form. “I’ve been batting beautifully in the nets. When the runs have to come, they’ll come. Not out of form, definitely out of runs,” said Suryakumar in the post-match presentation ceremony. India only had to chase a target of 118 but they took their time doing it. It was only when Shivam Dube hit a four and a six in the 16th over of their chase that they managed to get over the line. Suryakumar laboured for 11 balls and managed to score just 12 runs before falling to Lungi Ngidi. There were some question marks over his form late last year in the few innings he played after India’s 2024 T20 World Cup win and the way he continued this year shows that the dip …

Shubman Gill faces balls from the side-arm in the nets; Suryakumar Yadav puts in double shift fending off spinners | Cricket News

Shubman Gill faces balls from the side-arm in the nets; Suryakumar Yadav puts in double shift fending off spinners | Cricket News

Three hours after India’s optional training session had begun on Saturday, a day before their third T20I against South Africa in Dharamshala, even as the temperatures dipped into the single digits, Suryakumar Yadav could be seen in the main stadium ground, pummelling poor Himachali net bowlers to all parts of the ground as part of his six-hitting practice routine. The India captain is in desperate search for runs, and so is his deputy. Suryakumar batted through the net session from start to finish in the outside nets too, and soon after he started, his vice captain Shubman Gill began a relentless training session that is typical of his style. As South Africa’s riveting all-format tour to these parts goes into its final week, things remain evenly poised. Having drubbed India in the Tests and tested them in the ODIs, they arrive in the Himalayas with the five-match T20 series squared at 1-1 following their victory at Mullanpur. That at the HPCA Stadium here on Saturday, the Indians were engaged in a two-hour-long intense batting session, …