IND vs SA 2025: Suryakumar Yadav’s T20I slump deepens ahead of 2026 World Cup

Suryakumar Yadav was dismissed for five runs in the second T20I against South Africa.

Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav’s poor run of form in T20Is in 2025 continues to be a major concern for Team India. In the second T20I against South Africa, the skipper managed just five runs off four balls, edging a delivery outside off straight to the wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock.

The dismissal reflected a worrying trend, Suryakumar looks low on confidence, and opposition bowlers seem to have identified weaknesses that were not visible in previous years. In the opening T20I in Cuttack as well, he struggled for fluency and scored only 12 runs, further highlighting his ongoing dip in form.

The numbers underline the slump. In 2025, Suryakumar accumulated 201 runs in 17 innings at a modest average of 14.35, with a strike rate of 126.41, far below his usual standards. He has bagged three ducks this year, and his highest score has been an unbeaten 47. With the 2026 T20 World Cup just two months away, his form is becoming a worrying issue for the Indian management.

Since the conclusion of the 2024 T20 World Cup, Suryakumar has registered only two scores of fifty or more in 26 innings. For a batter renowned as a 360-degree shot-maker, this is significantly below par. Across his T20I career, he has scored 2766 runs in 90 innings at a strike rate of over 150, a benchmark India desperately needs him to return to. Despite enjoying an excellent IPL 2025 season, his performances for India this year have been uncharacteristically ordinary.

India will be hoping for a turnaround from their captain, especially with the marquee global event starting on February 7. At present, India are engaged in a five-match T20I series against South Africa and lead 1-0, though they face an uphill task in the second game. Earlier in the campaign against the Proteas, India suffered a 2-0 defeat in the Test series but bounced back to win the ODI series 2-1. A return to form for Suryakumar will be crucial as India look to build momentum ahead of the world tournament.

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