In general, the Indian Premier League acts as a platform for testing the strategies of India in terms of their plans for T20I games. A good season might land an athlete among the best players to play for India,
while a bad one would instantly put his position on the line. The same thing is happening right now when IPL 2026 has forced three players from India, including Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube and Varun Chakravarthy, who contributed significantly to the recent success of India in T20I World Cup, to reconsider their positions as selectors prepare to build a new team for the next stage.
Although none of the three athletes mentioned above have been excluded from consideration, their current form in the tournament plays a decisive role now that India have many other talents ready to take their places.
Suryakumar Yadav
The major problem facing the Indian batsman is his abysmal performance in the upcoming IPL 2026. The T20I skipper of the national side scored only 195 runs in 11 innings for the Mumbai Indians team. His batting average was 17.73, with a solitary fifty coming in the form of 51 against the Delhi Capitals. Two ducks and four single-digit figures were also part of his scorecard.
🚨 SURYA'S PLACE IN T20I UNDER THE SCANNER 🚨 - Suryakumar Yadav's prolonged lean patch with the bat with his T20I captaincy and even his place in the Squad likely to come under scrutiny. (Sportstar). pic.twitter.com/kArqN1hb5c
— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) May 16, 2026
However, it is important to note that the downfall has been quite significant after his stellar campaign of 717 runs in the IPL 2025 season. Experts feel that the bowlers have started decoding his aggressive batting technique and fielding a tight leg side field. It has not only affected the performance of his team but also put immense pressure on his captaincy position.
Shivam Dube
Shivam Dube’s numbers do not look alarming at first glance. He scored 197 runs in his first 11 matches for the Chennai Super Kings at a strike rate above 150. However, he failed to produce a single half-century and rarely delivered the game-changing innings expected from him.
SHIVAM DUBE - THE UNDERRATED HERO. 🇮🇳 - 26* (8) in the T20 World Cup final to take India towards a massive finish. His contributions have been outstanding! 👏 pic.twitter.com/t0NxURSJQp
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 8, 2026
CSK’s constant reshuffling also affected his rhythm. More importantly, his strike rate against spin dropped sharply, reducing his biggest strength. Several dropped catches added to the criticism. Although his unbeaten 32 off 16 against the Lucknow Super Giants offered some relief, India may still prefer more complete finishers if Dube cannot consistently dominate in the middle overs.
Varun Chakravarthy
The season began poorly for Varun Chakravarthy before he got better towards the end for Kolkata Knight Riders. In the first nine games, Chakravarthy bagged 10 wickets; however, his economy rate of 9.00 suggested his poor form during that period. He was a wicketless bowler in the first three games and had been hit hard on flat pitches.
Star Sports poster for Varun Chakravarthy. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/UeDnyjHBJ1
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 3, 2026
He then revealed that he had been bowling with two fractures in his left hand. Once fit again, Chakravarthy responded well with game-changing performances, such as picking up 3/14 against the Rajasthan Royals. Nevertheless, he suffered from another toe injury, and since India already has a few reliable spinners, Chakravarthy will be exposed if fitness problems persist.
