Suryakumar Yadav blunt on his own poor form after Shubman Gill's ouster
Published - 20 Dec 2025, 06:32 PM
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Suryakumar Yadav has been facing scrutiny, not just as India’s T20I captain but also as a batter searching for form, as the national selectors have now announced the squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 and five-match T20I series against New Zealand.
The Indian cricket team might have recently beat South Africa 3-1 in the five-match T20I series at home, but Suryakumar Yadav’s own numbers have raised concern. He managed 12, 5, 12, and 5 against South Africa, and he ended the 2025 season without a single fifty in T20I cricket.
Suryakumar Yadav under pressure as Shubman Gill gets shock ICC T20 World Cup 2026 snub
Overall, the Indian skipper has amassed 218 runs in 19 T20I innings at an average of just over 13 with a strike rate of 123 this year. As India prepares to defend their ICC T20 World Cup title, the Men in Blue will need much more from their skipper Suryakumar Yadav with the bat.
Read Also: Sanju Samson posts upbeat message after beating Shubman Gill to T20 World Cup squad
At the same time, the Indian selectors have made it clear that no player is guaranteed a place based on name alone. Shubman Gill has been dropped from India’s squad for both the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 and the five-match T20I series, and this move sent a strong message to the players.
🚨India’s squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 announced 🚨
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 20, 2025
Let's cheer for the defending champions 💪#TeamIndia | #MenInBlue | #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/7CpjGh60vk
Explaining Gill’s snub, Indian chief selector Ajit Agarkar said at the press conference, “He is short of runs at the moment and missed the last WC too.” On the other hand, Suryakumar Yadav said, “It’s not about Gill’s form. We wanted to have a keeper at the top.”
Shubman Gill replaced by Ishan Kishan in India's T20I squad
Gill has been solid in Tests and ODIs, but his T20 form has been overwhelming. India wants quick and aggressive starts at the top, and Gill’s recent numbers have fallen short of that demand.
The right-handed batter scored 4, 0, and 28 against South Africa, and that run sealed his T20I fate. The selectors have brought back Ishan Kishan and Rinku Singh for the mega event, showing a clear shift towards impact players.
Read Also: Ishan Kishan reacts as his long wait ends with ICC T20 World Cup 2026 selection
Kishan offers explosive batting at the top along with wicketkeeping skills, which gives the team more balance. On the other hand, Rinku has built a strong reputation as a fearless finisher who can change games in a few overs.
Suryakumar Kumar sends strong message after questions on his form
Well, when the Indian captain was asked about his own poor form in the format, Suryakumar Yadav gave a blunt response to the reporters after the squad announcement. The Indian captain has made it clear that he is fully aware of his dip in form and is confident of turning things around.
He stressed that rough phases are part of every player’s journey, even though his rough patch has lasted longer than expected. However, SKY backed himself to rediscover his form in the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand ahead of the mega event.
Suryakumar said at the press conference, “I know what to do, and I will do it. You will see Surya the batter. Everyone has gone through such a phase; it's just that mine has gone on a bit longer.”
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