India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has once again spoken candidly about his prolonged dip in form, this time during an interaction with students at GLS University in Ahmedabad. Addressing the ups and downs of a sportsperson’s journey, Suryakumar described his current phase as a period of learning rather than failure.
VIDEO | Ahmedabad: Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav at GLS University says, "According to me, sport teaches you a lot, and in every sportsperson's career there is a time when you feel it is a learning stage, so it is that learning stage for me. But my 14 soldiers are covering it… pic.twitter.com/4YsDW5TszI
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 20, 2025
“A sportsman doesn’t always enjoy good times. It’s not about bad times, it’s a learning process,” Suryakumar said. “For me, this phase is that learning curve. It’s been a bit up and down. But my soldiers — the other 14 players — are covering for me right now. They know what will happen the day I blast,” he added, expressing confidence in both his teammates and an eventual return to peak form.
Despite growing scrutiny over his performances, the Indian skipper insisted his mindset remains firmly positive. Drawing a parallel with student life, Suryakumar said setbacks are part of growth. “If you get low grades in exams, do you quit school? No, you work harder and come back stronger. I am trying to do the same — work hard and return with better performances.”
The comments come amid a difficult year for the right-hander in T20 internationals. In 2025, Suryakumar has managed just 218 runs from 19 innings at an average of 13.62 and a strike rate of 123.16, with a highest score of 47 during the Asia Cup. His struggles continued in the home series against South Africa, where he scored only 34 runs across four innings, even as India clinched the series 3-1.
A day before his university appearance, Suryakumar had openly acknowledged the length of his rough patch. “Ye waala patch thoda lamba ho gaya,” he admitted at a press conference following the announcement of India’s T20 World Cup squad at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai.
While the captain retained his spot in the squad, vice-captain Shubman Gill’s omission raised eyebrows and intensified debate over the team management’s continued backing of Suryakumar. The selectors, however, appear to be relying on his pedigree as one of India’s most explosive T20 batters. Support from within the dressing room has also been strong, with Tilak Varma recently stating that Suryakumar is just one innings away from rediscovering his best.
With a five-match T20I series against New Zealand scheduled next month, the Indian skipper will have another chance to translate words into runs and repay the faith shown in him.
