While Team India continues to dominate in T20 cricket, captain Suryakumar Yadav’s batting woes have emerged as a major concern ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Despite India’s 101-run demolition of South Africa in the series opener at Cuttack, the veteran’s form remains far from reassuring.
Suryakumar’s Disappointing Start in Cuttack
Chasing a solid platform in the first T20I, Yadav briefly showed intent with a boundary and a six off Lungi Ngidi in the third over. However, on the fourth ball of the over, he was caught by South Africa captain Aiden Markram at long-on, finishing with 12 runs from 11 balls. His struggle continues a troubling trend for the Indian skipper.
A Year of Struggle
The calendar year 2025 has been particularly difficult for Yadav.
- No fifties so far: Highest score of 47 against Pakistan in the Asia Cup.
- Total runs in 16 innings: 196 runs at an average of 15.07.
- Strike rate: 126.45.
Among Indian T20I players who scored at least 50 runs in 2025, Yadav’s batting average is the lowest:
| Player | Runs | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Suryakumar Yadav | 196 | 15.6 |
| Sanju Samson | 185 | 18.50 |
| Axar Patel | 139 | 19.85 |
| Shivam Dube | 159 | 22.71 |
| Hardik Pandya | 160 | 22.85 |
As Captain, a Record to Worry About
Looking at Indian T20I captains in a calendar year (min 150 runs), Yadav now holds the lowest batting average for any Indian captain:
| Average | Captain | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 15.67 | Suryakumar Yadav | 2025 |
| 23.00 | MS Dhoni | 2009 |
| 23.50 | Hardik Pandya | 2023 |
| 24.29 | Rohit Sharma | 2022 |
| 25.55 | Suryakumar Yadav | 2024 |
This alarming statistic highlights the batting struggles of the skipper, raising questions about India’s top-order stability as the team gears up for crucial T20 tournaments.
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