Prior to the forthcoming ICC T20 World Cup, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav acknowledged his recent slump and expressed optimism in getting back to form.
In T20I cricket, Yadav has had trouble scoring runs in 2025. At a dismal average of 13.62, the right-handed hitter has amassed 218 runs in 21 games. This year, Suryakumar Yadav failed to reach a half-century in Twenty20 Internationals.
With Axar Patel returning to deputy responsibilities and Shubman Gill, the T20I team’s vice-captain, ousted due to fitness and form issues, Yadav will head a 15-man squad for the forthcoming T20 World Cup.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav and chief selector Ajit Agarkar were present when BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia announced the team on Saturday at the board’s Mumbai headquarters.
“I know what to do, where things are going wrong. I have got some time to work on it. It’s just a small invisible hurdle that I am sure I will overcome,” Yadav told reporters.
There was much discussion about Gill’s absence from the squad. Speaking out about the rationale behind the choice, skipper Yadav emphasized that duties and structure—rather than immediate form—were the deciding factors.
“It’s not about form, it’s about combination. We wanted to have a keeper at the top. We know the quality that Gill brings. We also wanted someone like Rinku Singh and Washington Sundar in the back end,” Yadav said.
Leading the team at a home World Cup offers Yadav both opportunity and responsibility. “I think it’s a good responsibility for me… It’s going to be a good challenge when you are going to play in front of your home crowd,” Yadav added.
