The stylish Indian batsman is facing one of the toughest phases of his career. Despite leading India to 2025 Asia Cup glory, Suryakumar’s recent form with the bat has become a major problem. In his last nine T20I innings, he has crossed the 30-run mark only twice.
Suryakumar Yadav wants to crack the ODI-T20I balance sheet
Four of those innings ended in single figures, and even he was once dismissed for a duck. On the other hand, Suryakumar’s ODI figures tell a worrying story. In 35 ODI innings, he has managed just 773 runs at an average of 25.76. Now, he is no longer part of India’s ODI plans since 2023.
Your daily dose of cricket!
Also read: India A squad for one-day series vs South Africa A announced; Rohit Sharma-Virat Kohli rejected; Ruturaj Gaikwad received his PhD
Talking about his struggles, Suryakumar Yadav admitted that he has been consistent in T20Is but is yet to find the right approach for ODI cricket. The 35-year-old has shared that he wants to learn from AB de Villiers how to successfully manage both formats.
Suryakumar Yadav said on Vimal Kumar’s YouTube channel, “If I meet him soon, I would like to ask him how he managed to balance his T20I and ODI games. I have not been able to do that. I felt that ODIs should be played like T20Is. I would like to ask him what he did to be successful in both formats.”
The Indian skipper further added, “AB, if you are listening to this, please contact me soon as I have three or four important years ahead of me. I am also very excited about playing ODI cricket. Please help me! I couldn’t balance the T20Is and ODIs.”
Suryakumar Yadav celebrates Team India’s performance in the 3rd T20I
Besides his personal struggles, Suryakumar has had something to celebrate lately. Under his captaincy, India won the third T20I by five wickets against Australia, leveling the ongoing five-match T20I series 1-1 after the first match in Canberra was washed out.
Washington Sundar’s explosive unbeaten 49 and Arshdeep Singh’s crucial three wickets played a key role in India’s thrilling win. The inclusion of Sundar, Arshdeep and Jitesh Sharma in India’s XI proved to be a masterstroke. Jitesh scored a quick 22* in his comeback match.
Suryakumar further commented, “Absolutely. Those guys were practicing really hard and waiting for their opportunity. Washi (Washington Sundar) showed great flexibility, Jitesh contributed well and Arshdeep was excellent. It felt like the right combination tonight.”
Also read: Shocking twist in Haris Rauf controversy as ICC accused of adding penalty points without notice
Morne Morkel emphasizes flexibility is key to India’s ICC T20 World Cup 2026 success
Meanwhile, India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel has emphasized the importance of flexibility and experimentation as the team gears up for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. With the mega tournament approaching, Morkel believes India’s success will depend on how well players can adapt to different situations and roles as India continues to experiment in the T20Is.
He emphasized that having multiple options and combinations is crucial in modern cricket, where versatility often decides the outcome of big matches. Morkel stated: “You have to have options available. Every team around the world plays with options. In this game you have to be adaptable, and certain players can give you options in different roles.”
#Suryakumar #Yadav #pleads #Villiers #terrible #form