Suryakumar Yadav doesn’t need to prove anything. As he rightly said, he’s out of runs, not out of form. But with the World Cup approaching, it’s clear that confidence has taken a hit, and that raises important questions for Team India.
Sunil Gavaskar recently pointed out a key technical adjustment, suggesting Surya keep his famous pick-up shot “in cold storage” for now. The idea is simple: spend time in the middle, settle into the innings, and then accelerate at the right moment. Surya remains the most crucial batter in India’s T20 setup, even more vital than the players who bat around him.
The numbers, however, are worrying. No T20I fifty in 2025, a record-low average, and a sharp drop in strike rate — from 187.44 in 2022 to 126.42 in 2025 — signal that something isn’t clicking. And it’s not just Surya. Except for Abhishek Sharma, India’s other batters are also struggling to maintain high strike rates. Is this a temporary phase, or a deeper issue before the World Cup?
