AHMEDABAD: India's T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav concluded a dismal 2025 in the shortest format without a single half-century, but received crucial support from his teammate during the fifth T20I against South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday. As the team gears up for the 2026 T20 World Cup at home and in Sri Lanka, SKY's prolonged batting woes are causing significant concern for the team management.
A Captain's Struggle and a Teammate's Guidance
While Suryakumar Yadav's miserable year ended with another single-digit score—caught at mid-off for just five runs off seven deliveries against Corbin Bosch—his India and Mumbai Indians colleague, Tilak Varma, was scripting a different story. In stark contrast, Varma hammered a brilliant 73 runs from just 42 balls, forming a devastating 105-run partnership in only 44 deliveries with all-rounder Hardik Pandya (63). This power-hitting propelled India to a formidable total of 231 for five, leading to a 30-run victory. SKY was notably the sole Indian batsman who failed to capitalize on the batting-friendly conditions against the South African attack.
During their brief time together at the crease, Varma offered simple yet valuable advice to his struggling captain. At the post-match press conference, Varma revealed, "I was just telling him to middle a few balls, wait, stay calm, and take some time to settle in." He emphasized that he could handle the aggressive scoring from the other end, allowing SKY to focus on finding his rhythm and the feel of the bat.
Backing the Match-Winner: "Just One Innings"
Varma expressed strong belief that the out-of-form batter is merely one good knock away from rediscovering his destructive best. "If he gets that confidence back... everyone has seen how he can play," Varma stated. His advice was tactical: instead of attempting high-risk shots immediately, SKY should focus on finding gaps and piercing the field to build momentum. "It was not his day, but everyone is waiting for that one innings. If he gets that, everyone knows how dangerous he can be," the young batsman added, showcasing unwavering faith in his captain's abilities.
The numbers, however, paint a grim picture for Suryakumar Yadav in T20Is during 2025. In the only format where he currently represents India, he managed a paltry 218 runs across 19 innings at an average of 13.62, his worst annual performance in international cricket.
Tilak Varma's Confident Approach and Bowling Praise
Explaining his own aggressive mindset, Tilak Varma said he decided to attack from the first ball itself after observing the good batting conditions. "I just wanted to get going right from the start and play according to the situation," he said, highlighting his adaptability to either boost the strike rate or anchor the finish as per the team's needs.
Varma also heaped praise on India's bowling heroes, Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy, who shared six wickets for 67 runs in their combined eight overs to dismantle South Africa's chase. "Compared to other fast bowlers, Bumrah has that extra sting. Similarly, Varun has that extra something to take wickets anytime," Varma noted. He identified them as the team's primary wicket-taking options, especially lauding Chakravarthy's performance under pressure in the series and his crucial two-wicket over in the match. "The way Varun is performing consistently is good to watch and that's what makes him the world No. 1 T20 bowler," Varma concluded, hoping the spinner maintains this form until the World Cup.
