Why Suryakumar Yadav is struggling in T20Is?

India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav is going through a difficult run of form, and former skipper Sunil Gavaskar believes poor shot selection is at the heart of the problem. Gavaskar has advised Suryakumar to temporarily shelve his trademark pick-up shot until he regains confidence and timing.

Suryakumar’s struggles were evident once again in the third T20I against South Africa at Dharamsala on Sunday. Although India registered a comfortable seven-wicket victory to tighten their hold on the series, the captain’s lack of runs drew attention yet again as he was dismissed for 12.

Attempting his signature stroke towards the fine leg boundary, Suryakumar failed to find the necessary power, allowing Ottneil Baartman to take a straightforward catch off the bowling of Lungi Ngidi. Gavaskar, speaking on commentary, expressed concern over the repeated use of a shot that is no longer yielding results.

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According to Gavaskar, the pick-up shot has been a major run-getter for Suryakumar in the past, but during a lean phase it is leading to mistimed hits rather than sixes. He suggested that the Indian captain should avoid the stroke for now and focus on rebuilding his rhythm, as it is currently costing him his wicket at crucial moments.

Gavaskar also stressed that India cannot afford such low returns from their captain, especially in the shortest format.

The latest dismissal has extended Suryakumar Yadav’s half-century drought in T20 internationals to 21 innings, increasing scrutiny ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup scheduled in India and Sri Lanka in February–March next year. In more than 20 T20Is this year, he has managed an average of just 14, with a strike rate of 125, raising concerns about his form at a critical time.