India’s T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, is currently under the spotlight due to a dip in his batting form, managing only 100 runs across eleven innings this year, despite successfully leading India to an Asia Cup victory. His coach, Gautam Gambhir, has come to his defense, emphasizing the team’s commitment to a highly aggressive playing style.
Ahead of the crucial five-match T20I series against Australia, Yadav addressed concerns about his recent struggles. “I’ve been working incredibly hard,” he stated in Canberra. “It’s not that my effort was lacking before; I was just as dedicated. I’ve had productive training sessions both at home and here, and I feel I’m in a good mental space, which is really important. The runs will eventually come. My primary focus remains on contributing to the team’s goals, adapting to different match situations, and taking each game as it comes. I believe if things click, it will be truly beneficial.”
Yadav’s inconsistent form is particularly notable, with only 330 runs scored in 20 innings since he took over the captaincy. His performances in the recent Asia Cup highlighted some technical vulnerabilities against both spin and pace bowling.
However, a significant highlight in his recent batting record was his outstanding performance in the 2025 IPL season. Playing for Mumbai Indians, he amassed an impressive 717 runs in just 16 innings, maintaining an explosive strike rate of 167.90.
During a discussion on JioHotstar, coach Gautam Gambhir staunchly supported his captain. “Honestly, Surya’s batting form isn’t a concern for me because we’ve adopted an ultra-aggressive template in our dressing room,” Gambhir explained. “While it would be easy for Surya to play a more conservative innings, scoring, say, 40 off 30 balls and thus avoiding criticism, we as a team have collectively agreed that it’s acceptable to sometimes fail while committing to this aggressive approach.”