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Former India batter Mohammed Kaif urged Suryakumar Yadav not to 'hide in the dugout' and be brave as India's T20I skipper battles to regain his lost form in T20Is. Suryakumar has been battling a rough patch for India in the shortest format as he continues to struggle for consistency.
The Indian captain's woeful run continued in the third T20I against South Africa at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala on Sunday as he was dismissed cheaply on 12 of just 11 balls while batting at no.4. Suryakumar has now gone 21 innings without a half-century in T20Is, highlighting his struggles over the last year.
In 2025, the Indian skipper has managed only 213 runs in 18 innings at a strike rate of 125.29 and a poor average of 14.20, which is the lowest for a full-member nation captain with 200 or more runs in a calendar year. Speaking about Suryakumar's rough patch in T20Is, Kaif said the skipper should have batted at no.3 in the 3rd T20I against South Africa, where he had a chance to remain not out and play a good knock.
"When confidence is down, there are second thoughts, whether I should go out to bat or not. But you have to be brave. You can’t hide in the dugout if you want to make a comeback. You have to face that challenge to rise from that phase," Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
"Suryakumar Yadav has done that, but he had a good chance in the third T20I. When he did come out to bat, there were hardly runs to be scored. Even if he had remained not-out, he couldn’t have made more than 20 runs. If he batted at number three, there was a chance Surya could have made at least 40 runs," added the former India batter.
Suryakumar's batting woes have been exacerbated by the frequent changes in his batting position for India in T20Is. The eight-hander was a settled no.3 for the Men in Blue at one stage, but has batted eight times at no.4 in 2025. He has batted at no.3 ten times this year. However, despite his positions being changed frequently, his form remains a big concern for the team management heading into the T20 World Cup next year.
The Indian skipper recently brushed aside concerns about his poor form, citing how beautifully he was batting in the nets. However, his rough patch is not a great sign for India with the World Cup around the corner. Suryakumar will be hoping to revive his form and get among the runs in the remaining two T20Is of the ongoing five-match series against South Africa.
