Suryakumar Yadav will regain form in India vs Australia T20Is, says Irfan Pathan

Suryakumar Yadav hasn’t quite looked like himself in T20Is this year. Once the best player of the format, the Indian skipper has found runs hard to come by, managing just 100 in 12 innings at an average of 11.11 this year. For a player who was dominating bowlers not long ago, those numbers are a worrying dip, especially with the T20 World Cup less than five months away.

But as India prepare for their five-match T20I series in Australia, former all-rounder Irfan Pathan feels this might be the perfect stage for Suryakumar to bounce back. The 34-year-old had a stunning IPL 2025 with 717 runs for Mumbai Indians (MI), and Pathan believes that the surfaces Down Under could bring that same rhythm back into his international game.

Suryakumar’s lean patch has India slightly nervous

India’s captain has always relied on touch and fearless intent. But this year, none of that has quite clicked at the international level. His strike rate has fallen to 105.26, and the same audacious range that once defined him seems to have deserted him. Even though India’s middle order is packed with talent, a misfiring Suryakumar has been one of the bigger talking points heading into this series.

Pathan, though, much like Gautam Gambhir, isn’t pressing the panic button just yet. He pointed out that every player goes through a rough patch and that Suryakumar’s class is too good to stay quiet for long. Suryakumar himself didn’t sugarcoat his slump. Speaking in Canberra, Surya told reporters that he is feeling good and perhaps he is out of runs and not out of form. “I feel like I’ve been working really hard. It’s not that I wasn’t working hard before, I was doing it then also. I’ve had good sessions back home and good few sessions here so I am in good space, that is really important. Runs will come eventually but working hard towards the team goal is important,” he said.

Pathan backs SKY to thrive on Australian pitches

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Pathan said the bounce and pace in Australian conditions could actually play into Suryakumar’s strengths.

“One concern is Suryakumar Yadav’s form. His strike rate has been around 166, and no one has scored more runs than him in T20Is recently. But lately, his average has dropped to around 20, and he hasn’t been converting starts into big scores. His IPL form was great, but he hasn’t carried that into internationals,” Pathan said.

“Still, I feel Australian pitches will help him regain rhythm. He uses bowlers’ pace beautifully and plays square of the wicket very well. Remember his debut shot – a pull off Jofra Archer using his pace? That’s his trademark. If the bounce works in his favour, he could easily get back in form,” he added.

Looking ahead, Pathan also backed India to dominate the series and gave his prediciton. “The first match will be in Canberra at Manuka Oval. In my opinion, if India plays their best cricket, they can win the series 4-1. Even though it’s in Australia, India looks the stronger team.”