Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has said that Suryakumar Yadav’s job as the T20I captain should be more than just attending the toss and managing the bowlers, but as a top four batter, he also needs
to score runs, as his poor run in the shortest format continues.
This year, Suryakumar piled up over 700 runs in the IPL for the Mumbai Indians, but his form has fallen off a cliff in national colours. For India, he has managed only 201 runs in 17 innings, raising major concerns for the team as the T20 World Cup approaches.
In the second T20I against South Africa in New Chandigarh, India were chasing a stiff target of 214 and Suryakumar was expected to revive the innings. Instead, he fizzled out after just four deliveries for five runs, extending the struggles he had already shown in the series opener.
“You are the team’s captain, but a captain’s job isn’t just to toss and manage the bowlers. It isn’t just about making the strategy. If you bat in the top four, your primary role is to score runs,” Chopra said while speaking on his YouTube channel.
“It has been many matches. If you have an average of 14 in 17 innings and the strike rate is also not very good, you don’t have a single fifty and have crossed 25 just twice, it has been a problem on either side of the IPL,” Chopra said.
While the runs have dried up for Suryakumar, his leadership record remains solid. Since taking charge in July 2024, India have lost only six T20Is and under his captaincy, they also lifted the Asia Cup.
“I am not saying there is any doubt over Suryakumar Yadav’s captaincy, or that he won’t be India’s captain in the World Cup. I am not suggesting that at all, so don’t ever misquote me, but the truth is that he needs to score runs,” Chopra said.
