Suryakumar Yadav has been underperforming in T20Is for a while, and that slump was only highlighted in the recent Asia Cup 2025. He scored 72 runs in the six innings, 47 of which came in the second group match against Pakistan.
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While the Indian captain led his team to an Asia Cup victory by beating Pakistan thrice in the tournament, including the final, there are concerns about his individual performance as India prepares for the 2026 T20 World Cup at home.
Suryakumar's batting contributions will be crucial for India's chances of retaining the title, especially in matches against top opposition, considering his position in the batting order at No. 3 or 4.
Suryakumar Yadav responds to criticism over his T20I batting form
The explosive middle-order batter finished the recent Indian Premier League season with the Mumbai Indians with 717 runs in 16 innings, which was second-best only behind Sai Sudharsan's 759 run tally.
However, a long gap in competitive cricket amid a hernia surgery meant his last half-century came over five months back against the Punjab Kings.
Speaking about his recent slump ahead of the Australia tour, Suryakumar pointed out his 47*(37) against Pakistan in their Group A clash, where he finished the match for India.
He remarked that the inning showed that he is still in decent touch with the bat, but also stated that he is not ashamed to admit that he has lacked runs.
"It is simple. How would you sleep if you are not being true and honest to yourselves? If you sleep at 10, it would take you till 2 am to fall asleep if you lie. If I am being honest to myself then I can be honest to the world and there is nothing wrong about it," Suryakumar to Vimal Kumar about why he openly accepts of his poor form.
"Main batting acchi kar raha tha but run nahi lage. Kyu nahi lage wo to mujhe pata hai but theek hai, chalta hai. Mujhe pata hai agar main prepare accha kar raha hu to aaj nahi to kal, run aayenge. [I was batting well during the Asia cup but couldn't score the runs. I know where I lagged but it is okay -- I know if I am preparing well, the runs will eventually come," he added.
Leading up to the T20 World Cup, India is scheduled to face Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand in five-match T20I series each, where the 35-year-old would like to get back among the runs and get into some rhythm for the big tournament.
How did Suryakumar Yadav perform in Asia Cup 2025?
Suryakumar's only substantial score in the tournament came in the second Group A fixture against Pakistan, while he only reached a double-digit score once after that game.
| Opponent | Score | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | 1(5) | Dubai (DICS) | Sept 28 |
| Sri Lanka | 12(13) | Dubai (DICS) | Sept 26 |
| Bangladesh | 5(11) | Dubai (DICS) | Sept 24 |
| Pakistan | 0(3) | Dubai (DICS) | Sept 21 |
| Oman | DNB | Abu Dhabi | Sept 19 |
| Pakistan | 47*(37) | Dubai (DICS) | Sept 14 |
| UAE | 7*(2) | Dubai (DICS) | Sept 10 |
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