Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Bangar has stated that Suryakumar Yadav‘s performance for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) is substantially better than his recent international performances. Despite being India’s T20I captain, the star batsman has struggled to maintain consistency in the format, with his last half-century coming 20 innings ago.
Suryakumar’s form has deteriorated significantly after November 2024, with only 227 runs scored at an average of 13.35. His troubles have persisted in India’s present five-match T20I series with South Africa, where he scored 12 and 5 in the first two games.
Suryakumar won his position in the Indian squad by outstanding IPL exploits, particularly for the Mumbai Indians. In the previous IPL season, he scored 717 runs in 16 matches, with an excellent average of 65.18 and a strike rate of 167.92, including five half centuries. These results demonstrate his domination in the franchise tournament.
However, such results are in stark contrast to his performance in T20Is over the previous year.
Bangar speculated that India’s policy of having a flexible batting order at the international level may have contributed to Suryakumar’s decline in form by preventing him from settling into a clear role.
Looking ahead, India will face South Africa in the remainder of the ongoing series before shifting focus to a five-match T20I series against New Zealand. The fixtures will serve as crucial preparation for the T20 World Cup 2026, where India will hope for a return to form from their captain.
“It’s also about the team’s thought process. You want to keep the No. 3 to No. 7 or No. 8 positions flexible. However, MI gave him a stable position. If he came at No. 3, he was fixed at No. 3, no matter the match or the situation. The quality player he is, the more balls he plays, he can convert them in a better fashion,” Bangar said on Star Sports.
“He shouldn’t have the pressure of wickets behind him. Then he needs to bat differently. The earlier he comes at No. 3, the better it is. He scored runs at an average of 65 and a strike rate of 168 in 16 innings (in the IPL). However, if you see his international innings, it’s a massive fall. He has an average of 14 and a strike rate of 126,” he added.
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