17 innings, 201 runs, 14.35 average and a strike rate of just 126.41 in 2025: India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav seems to have hit a rut. With just 7 T20Is to go for the T20 World Cup 2026, the concerns are growing among fans. In fact, SKY has no half-centuries this year. The last one came in October of 2024 in Hyderabad against Bangladesh and since then, he has endured a lean run. However, former India batter Robin Uthappa is not concerned. He believes SKY is not out of form. A change in batting position could do the trick for Suryakumar Yadav.
“I don’t think it’s a matter of form. I think it’s a matter of position and I don’t think SKY is out of form. He is out of position. If he comes back to his one particular position with the calibre of batter he is, without an iota of doubt, couple of games in that position and he will have clarity about what his role is, what he needs to do. And he starts scoring runs,” Robin Uthappa told InsideSport in an exclusive chat.
SKY-fall in T20Is
There was a time when Suryakumar Yadav dominated the world with a strike rate close to 170. That was before he was appointed the full-time captain of the T20I side, replacing an injury-prone Hardik Pandya. In those 58 innings, SKY hit three centuries and 17 fifties. In fact, without the captaincy burden, he excelled in IPL for Mumbai Indians as well. During his lean patch for Team India, SKY hit 717 runs in IPL 2025 at a strike rate of 167.91.
However, with the captaincy burden of Team India, he has looked a shadow of himself. As the captain, SKY has scored 731 runs in 33 innings at a strike rate of 153.24. That record as the captain won’t tell the fans the full story. Suryakumar Yadav was the temporary captain in 2023. He was appointed the full-time captain from the Sri Lanka tour post the T20 World Cup.
As the full-time captain, SKY has an average of just 18.73 and the strike rate has dropped to 146.1. He has just two fifties in 26 innings.
| Suryakumar Yadav | Inns | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 100 | 50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career | 91 | 2771 | 117 | 35.98 | 163.96 | 4 | 21 |
| Not as Captain | 58 | 2040 | 117 | 43.40 | 168.17 | 3 | 17 |
| As captain | 33 | 731 | 100 | 24.36 | 153.24 | 1 | 4 |
| Full-Time captain | 26 | 431 | 75 | 18.73 | 146.1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2025 | 18 | 213 | 47 | 14.20 | 125.29 | 0 | 0 |
Suryakumar Yadav in 2025
Then came 2025. Despite his excellent run in IPL 2025, his runs dried up for India. So far in 2025, he has scored just 213 runs in 18 innings at an average of 14.20 and a strike rate of 125.29. He has no half-centuries this year. Instead, in those 18 innings, he has three ducks and seven single-digit scores. On Sunday in the IND vs SA 3rd T20I, he faltered again, scoring 11-ball 12 at No 4.
But is his batting position the real concern as Robin Uthappa pointed out?
SKY has mostly played at No 3 and No 4 in his entire T20I career. He has excelled in both batting positions. At No 3, SKY has averaged 32.92 with a strike rate of 159.40. He also has a century at that position. At No 4, SKY has averaged 39.05 and has a strike rate of 166.84, including three centuries and 13 fifties in 50 innings.
| Batting Position | Inns | Runs | HS | Avg | S/R | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening | 4 | 135 | 76 | 33.75 | 168.75 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | 31 | 856 | 111* | 32.92 | 159.4 | 1 | 6 |
| 4 | 50 | 1640 | 117 | 39.05 | 166.84 | 3 | 13 |
| 5 | 6 | 140 | 65 | 28 | 155.56 | 0 | 1 |
| Overall | 91 | 2771 | 117 | 35.99 | 163.96 | 4 | 21 |
In 2025, Suryakumar Yadav has batted at No 3 10 times and eight times at No 4. In this IND vs SA T20I series, SKY has batted at both positions, scoring just 12, 5 and 12 in three innings. He has managed to face more than 20 deliveries on just two occasions.
With SKY failing to do the heavy-lifting, Tilak Varma has often been promoted to No 3. But as Team India have just 7 T20Is to prepare for the T20 World Cup, Head coach Gautam Gambhir and SKY himself must find a solution, despite advocating for flexibility in batting position. If the No 3 works out for him, he needs to be consistent at that slot. If SKY falters in T20 World Cup and Shubman Gill drags his poor run of form in T20Is, India would be in trouble, despite playing at home, on high-scoring surfaces. However, the man in question doesn’t believe he is out of form.
“I have been batting beautifully in the nets. I am trying to do what’s in my control and hope the runs will come soon. Definitely not out of form but out of runs,” Suryakumar Yadav said after scoring 12 off 11 in the 3rd T20I against South Africa in Dharamshala.
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