During a conversation with students at GLS University, India’s T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav once again addressed his protracted decline in form. His frank comments soon attracted notice. Suryakumar used a contemplative tone when discussing the highs and lows of a sportsperson’s career.
“A sportsman doesn’t always enjoy a good time. I am not saying we endure bad times. It’s a learning process. There’s always a phase where you feel it’s a learning stage. For me, it’s that learning curve. It’s been a bit up and down,” he said during the speech in Ahmedabad.
The 35-year-old, however, followed it up with a remark that stood out for its bravado, with some feeling it bordered on overconfidence.
“But, for me, my soldiers, 14 of them, are covering for me, for now. They know what will happen the day I blast. I am sure you all also know about it,” Suryakumar added, indicating a potential return to form as well as faith in his teammates.
“I am very positive. I am working really hard,” he said, before drawing a parallel with student life. “Imagine, if you get low grades in your exams, do you quit your school? You work hard again and get good marks again. I am also trying to do that. I am trying to come back with better performances.”
It has been difficult to ignore Suryakumar’s difficulties in T20 internationals at the time of his remarks. With a top score of 47 in the Asia Cup, the right-hander had a poor 2025, scoring just 218 runs from 19 innings at an average of 13.62 and a strike rate of 123.16. In a home series that India won 3-1, he too struggled against South Africa, collecting just 34 runs in four innings.
Suryakumar had publicly admitted the duration of his difficult period a day before the address in Ahmedabad. “Ye waala patch thoda lamba ho gaya (this patch has stretched a bit too long),” he stated during a news conference held at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai after the announcement of the T20 World Cup team. He was there with Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of selectors, and Devajit Saikia, the secretary of the BCCI.
Vice-captain Shubman Gill was left out of the squad but Suryakumar was kept, raising concerns about the team management’s continuous support for the captain despite poor performance. However, it seems like the selectors are relying on his track record as one of India’s most potent T20 batters.
There has also been support from within the team. Tilak Varma recently stated that Suryakumar is only one strong innings away from reaching his peak again, emphasizing that calmness and patience are more important than any mechanical adjustments.
Next month, Suryakumar will play a five-match Twenty20 International series against New Zealand, which will provide him another chance to prove his worth and turn words into runs.
