India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav said a short break after the South Africa series last year and a conscious tweak to his batting approach helped him rediscover form, as he led from the front in India’s dominant 4–1 series win over New Zealand ahead of the T20 World Cup starting next Saturday.
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After a rare lean run in 2025, during which he failed to register a single half-century, Suryakumar made a strong comeback, finishing as the leading run-scorer and player of the series against New Zealand.
The turnaround followed a phase of self-reflection after the South Africa series in December, where he managed just 34 runs across four innings, with a highest score of 12.
“After the South Africa series, I went home, kept my kit bag aside and took a complete 9–10 day break,” Suryakumar said on Amul Cricket Live following India’s 46-run win in the fifth T20I on Saturday.
“When the new year began, I resumed practice and reflected on where I had fallen short, especially my strike rate in the initial overs. Between 2021 and 2023, I attacked straightaway at a strike rate of 200–250. Now, I take the first 5–7 balls to settle before accelerating. That approach worked from the very first game in Nagpur and helped me regain momentum.”
One of India’s finest T20 batters, Suryakumar, had struggled for consistency after taking over the captaincy. In 2025, he scored 218 runs from 21 matches at an average of 13.62 and a strike rate of 123.16, the first time his annual strike rate dipped below 150.
However, he peaked at the right time, piling up 242 runs in five matches against New Zealand at an average of 80.66 and a strike rate of 196.74. India also posted three 200-plus totals in the series, including 271 for five in the final game, their third-highest T20I score.
While Abhishek Sharma continued his blistering run at the top, Ishan Kishan marked an explosive return to form.
With India eyeing a historic back-to-back T20 World Cup triumph on home soil, Suryakumar acknowledged the pressure but embraced the challenge.
“Home games always come with pressure, but without it there’s no thrill,” he said. “Chasing a back-to-back World Cup at home, something no team has done before, feels like positive pressure. With massive crowd support, we’re all excited.”
Suryakumar also revealed that the team combination has been carefully structured to maximise batting depth without compromising bowling strength.
“In high-risk T20 cricket, you need an extra specialist batter at No. 7 or 8. Our core bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel can cover 16 overs. Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and occasionally Abhishek Sharma add flexibility. A seven-batter setup with an eighth batting option gives us a big edge.”
He backed his batters to play with freedom, stressing the importance of sticking to individual styles.
“Abhishek, Ishan and Sanju bat the same way they do in state and franchise cricket. I’ve encouraged them to stay true to that. If hitting a six first ball works, go for it. Their fearless approach has made my captaincy easier.”
On the wicketkeeper-batter choice at the top, Suryakumar said the final decision would be taken just before India’s World Cup opener against the USA at the Wankhede on Saturday.
“Tilak Varma’s return could create a selection headache as all 15 players are contenders for the XI. The call on Ishan Kishan versus Sanju Samson as opener will be made on February 7,” he added.
(By PTI Inputs)
