India captain Suryakumar Yadav has regained form in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, but his approach in the middle overs has sparked debate.

Not long ago, Suryakumar was struggling for consistency in T20Is. The fluency was there, but the numbers weren’t. That narrative has changed in 2026. His turnaround began during the New Zealand series and has carried into the World Cup.

His unbeaten 84 against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium was widely hailed as a captain’s knock. With India reeling at 77 for 6, Suryakumar first steadied the innings before accelerating in style to take India to a competitive total. It was arguably one of the finest knocks of the tournament so far.

However, that innings has also triggered discussion about his current batting template.

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has questioned whether Suryakumar is now leaning too much towards caution in pressure situations.

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“There’s something I’m seeing in Suryakumar Yadav which I’m not liking too much,” Manjrekar said in a video on Instagram. “Against the USA, at 77 for 6, he changed his game brilliantly, slowed down and then exploded. But since then, I think he’s taking that a bit too far. Against Pakistan, when India lost early wickets, he really shut shop.”

So far in the tournament, Suryakumar has scored 162 runs in four innings at an average of 54.00. However, his strike rate of 136.13 is significantly lower than that of Ishan Kishan, who has struck at over 200.

Manjrekar believes the issue is not about a single innings but a broader tactical concern. According to him, when senior batters bat conservatively, it increases pressure on finishers like Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh. He also pointed out that Tilak Varma has struggled for fluency, especially against spin.

“In T20 cricket, it’s dangerous when a senior player or captain feels he has to stay till the end, especially when batting first,” Manjrekar said.

He argued that the modern T20 game has evolved beyond the traditional anchor role. With India’s depth extending to No. 8, including all-rounders Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, the expectation is aggressive intent from the outset.

“When you’re setting 200-plus totals, you can’t have someone in the top four thinking he alone must control the innings. India has fantastic depth. Every batter must trust the players coming after him and look to maximise every ball,” he added.

India’s overall strike rate in the tournament stands at 148.75, trailing teams like New Zealand and South Africa. In an era where 200 is increasingly considered a par score, conservative batting in the middle overs can prove costly, especially against strong chasing sides.

While Suryakumar’s numbers reflect consistency, the debate centres on tempo. With spin playing a significant role in the competition and opposition teams tightening the screws, India’s approach against quality bowling attacks remains under scrutiny.

Suryakumar Yadav – T20 World Cup 2026 Stats

Runs: 162

Innings: 4

Average: 54.00

Strike Rate: 136.13