Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra reckons Suryakumar Yadav’s form is concerning for India ahead of the T20 World Cup. Chopra highlighted that barring IPL 2025, Yadav hasn’t been able to score consistently at the top level.
SKY was dismissed after scoring only 12 runs off 11 balls in the opening T20I against South Africa at the Barabati Cricket Stadium, Cuttack on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Indian skipper had managed 84 runs in four innings against Australia at an average of 28 and a strike rate of 171.43. In the Asia Cup, Yadav had failed to lead from the front, managing only 72 runs in six innings at an average of 18.
“Suryakumar Yadav needs to be spoken about because he also hasn’t been in good form. Before and after the IPL, runs haven’t been scored while playing for India. The IPL was excellent, he scored 700 runs, scored more than 25 every time, but he is not playing well for India,” Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
Meanwhile, SKY’s deputy Shubman Gill was dismissed for only four runs and he has not managed a fifty in the last 13 T20Is.
“He has not been amongst the runs. The closer we get to the World Cup, it repeatedly comes to mind how it will work out if both the captain and the vice-captain don’t score runs. It’s extremely necessary for the captain to score runs. Maybe he needs to give himself time. What is applicable for Shubman is true for him as well. Every pitch is not a 250-run one,” he added.
The renowned commentator urged SKY to give himself more time before launching his attack.
“Don’t feel obligated to throw your bat as soon as you go in, that once you have hit a six, you need to keep hitting sixes, because you are unable to do that. This match showed that the 30-run partnership between Tilak Varma and Axar Patel, which came at a run-a-ball, was also very important. When you think from that perspective, you feel that you should give yourself a little time,” he said.
Chopra said India can’t afford to change the captain ahead of the T20 World Cup, though either Sanju Samson or Yashasvi Jaiswal can replace Shubman Gill.
“I wish Suryakumar Yadav is in gun form by the time the T20 World Cup happens. You can still think about someone else in place of Shubman. Maybe we can get Sanju Samson to open or even think about Yashasvi Jaiswal, but the captain won’t be changed. So the captain needs to come in form,” Chopra observed.
The second T20I between India and South Africa will be played at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, Chandigarh, on Thursday.
