India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has defended himself amidst his ongoing poor run of form with the bat ahead of the five-T20I series against Australia. The two sides will clash in the first match of the series in Canberra on October 29.
India's T20I captain in 2025 has struggled to find his groove, scoring only 100 runs in 11 innings at an average of little more than 9. Since taking on the leadership role last year, he has scored 330 runs in 20 games, a shocking drop for someone famed for his dependability and flair.
Suryakumar spoke candidly about his recent challenges, emphasizing hard work, mental clarity, and prioritizing team goals over personal achievements, certain that the runs would come once he is in the correct state of mind.
"I feel like I have been working really hard; before also I was also doing it. It is not that I was not working hard. I've had a few good sessions back home and 2-3 good sessions here, so I am in a good space. I think that is really important. Runs, they will come eventually, but working hard towards a team goal, that's more important," Suryakumar said during the pre-match press conference ahead of the first T20I.
Even in the last assignment India played in T20Is, the Asia Cup 2025, Suryakumar Yadav managed 72 runs in six games, including the highest score of 47* against Pakistan in the group stage.
Suryakumar let himself down by constantly depending on his hallmark shot over square, frequently attempting to harness the pace and bounce of deliveries—a move that has failed to provide the desired results in previous games.
Suryakumar also provided insights into India's squad strategy, claiming that their playing combination remains fairly stable across conditions, with a balance of pace, spin, and all-round options suitable for bouncy wickets like those seen in Australia.
"I don't think that our combination changes too much with conditions. If you see, when we played in South Africa, over there we played one fast bowler, one all-rounder, and three spinners. Conditions are similar over here, some bouncy tracks," he said.
(ANI inputs)
