Suryakumar has made 201 runs in 14 games he played in 2025.
Mohammad Kaif, former Indian cricketer, called out India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav for not batting at his spot at no. 3 to get some game time in the recent third T20I against South Africa in Dharamshala on December 14.
The statement comes amid growing concern over Suryakumar's form, as he was dismissed for just 12 runs off 11 balls in Dharamshala.
Former cricket players Robin Uthappa and Dale Steyn criticized Suryakumar for not batting at his customary No. 3 spot after India lost the second game of the series last week, particularly when opener Shubman Gill fell for a golden duck in the first over of the chase.
Additionally, they advised the team to avoid experimenting with the top order, emphasizing that a fixed batting order, at least in the top three, was crucial with the T20 World Cup just two months away.
Suryakumar once again vacated his No. 3 spot for Tilak Varma in the third T20I and batted at No. 4. Mohammad Kaif stated that Suryakumar Yadav cannot hide in the dugout, and had he batted at his usual spot, he could’ve scored 30 or 40 runs and gotten back in form before the T20 World Cup 2026.
"Suryakumar Yadav had a chance to bat at No. 3 today. India had won the match and had a successful power play. He had the opportunity to bat at No. 3, spend some time in the crease, and stay unbeaten at 30 or 40. It would have been good for the upcoming matches. He is a solid player, and no one is questioning his ability with the bat," Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
"Questions are about his form. He has been a good player; hence, questions are about his form. He had a good opportunity to bat and stay not out, which could have been good for the remaining T20Is before the World Cup. One inning can transform a player into a different player. When Tilak Varma was sent at No. 3, cameras were at Suryakumar Yadav," he continued.
Suryakumar might have had a fabulous IPL 2025 season, scoring 717 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of 167.92, but for the Indian team, his bat has been quiet. In the 14 games he played in 2025, the right-hander managed only 201 runs at 14.36, with a strike rate of 126.42.
"When confidence is down, there are second thoughts about whether I should go out to bat or not. But you have to be brave. You can’t hide in the dugout if you want to make a comeback. You have to face that challenge to rise from that phase. Suryakumar Yadav has done that, but he had a good chance in the third T20I. When he did come out to bat, there were hardly any runs to be scored. Even if he was not out, he couldn’t have made more than 20 runs. If he batted at number three, there was a chance Surya could have made at least 40 runs," Kaif added.
In the ongoing series, Suryakumar has scored just 29 runs, and the pressure will be immense on him ahead of the final two T20Is against South Africa.