India's T20 World Cup Winner Decodes What Led To Suryakumar Yadav's "Shortage Of Runs"
India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav played 21 matches last year, scoring 218 runs at an average of 13.62.
- Suryakumar Yadav scored 218 runs in 21 T20Is in 2025 at an average of 13.62
- Robin Uthappa advised Suryakumar to avoid frequent changes in batting position
- "Constant movement across positions has resulted in a shortage of runs. Stability will help," he said
India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav will hope the new year brings a turnaround after a poor international outing in 2025. The right-handed batter played 21 matches last year, scoring 218 runs at an average of 13.62. Suryakumar, however, had a stunning Indian Premier League season, amassing 717 runs in 16 matches at an average of 65.18. He smashed five fifties in the edition. But the story was quite different at the international level, where his flop show in T20Is led many experts to question his place in the team.
India's 2007 T20 World Cup winner Robin Uthappa told PTI Videos that Suryakumar should avoid excessive experimentation with his batting position ahead of the T20 World Cup. The mega event, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, begins on February 7, with the final set for March 8.
"Surya shouldn't shuffle his batting order too much. Constant movement across positions has resulted in a shortage of runs. Stability will help," Uthappa said.
Suryakumar had earlier received backing from teammate Tilak Varma, who said India's T20I skipper "needs just one innings" to rediscover the mojo with which he once dominated bowlers like a marauder.
Tilak shared his views after setting up India's win in the fifth T20I against South Africa and a 3-1 series triumph in December last year.
"If he (Suryakumar) gets that confidence then he will be... everyone has watched him, how he can play, so I think at this time if he takes a few balls at that moment, I would not say (to him to) just (try) going over the fielder," Tilak said.
"But I was just saying (to him) that try finding the gaps. If you can pierce the field well from your bat, you get a good feel about it and after that you are going to hit. It was not his day, but everyone is waiting for that one innings, if he gets that one innings then everyone knows how dangerous he can be," he added.
India play a five-match T20I series against New Zealand starting January 21. This series will serve as a T20 World Cup dress rehearsal for the Suryakumar Yadav-led side, as well as the Black Caps.
India Cricket Team
Robin Uthappa