In contrast to his recent comebacks in international cricket, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Bangar has noted that Suryakumar Yadav typically performs noticeably better for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The top batsman has battled for consistency in the format despite being India’s T20I captain; his most recent half-century came 20 innings ago.
Suryakumar has seen a worrying decline in form since November 2024, scoring just 227 runs at an average of 13.35. In the current five-match Twenty20 International series between India and South Africa, he has continued to struggle, managing scores of 12 and 5 in the first two games.
Suryakumar’s exceptional IPL exploits, especially for the Mumbai Indians, earned him a spot in the Indian squad.
He scored 717 runs in 16 games during the previous IPL season, including five half-centuries, at an outstanding average of 65.18 and a strike rate of 167.92. His domination in the franchise tournament is shown by these figures.
But those results are a far cry from what he has produced in T20Is over the previous 12 months. According to Bangar, Suryakumar’s decline in form may have been caused by India’s strategy of keeping a flexible batting order at the international level, which kept him from establishing a clear role.
Before turning their attention to a five-match T20I series against New Zealand, India will play South Africa in the remaining games of the current series. The matches will be an important prelude to the 2026 T20 World Cup, where India will be hoping for their captain to get back to his best.
It’s also about how the team thinks. The positions from No. 3 to No. 7 or No. 8 should be adaptable. But MI provided him with a steady job. Regardless of the match or circumstance, he was fixed at No. 3 if he arrived at that position. Bangar stated on Star Sports that he is a good player who can convert more balls the more he plays.
“The weight of wickets shouldn’t be on his shoulders. Then he must bat in a different way. It’s preferable if he arrives at No. 3 early. In 16 IPL innings, he amassed runs with a strike rate of 168 and an average of 65. But if you look at his international career, it’s a huge decline. He has a strike rate of 126 and an average of 14, he continued.
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