"He would have performed a lot earlier to become the captain" - Piyush Chawla on question mark on Suryakumar Yadav's form after IND vs ENG 2025 T20Is
Veteran India spinner Piyush Chawla has reckoned that Suryakumar Yadav's recent lean form is not a concern. He pointed out that the Indian captain was given the leadership role because of his excellent performances with the willow.
India beat England 4-1 in the recently concluded five-match T20I series. However, Suryakumar had a dismal series, aggregating 28 runs at a paltry average of 5.60 in five innings.
On the Star Sports show 'Match Point,' Chawla was asked whether there was a question mark on Suryakumar's form after the England series.
"You cannot say there is a question mark because when a player becomes a captain, he would have performed a lot earlier to become the captain, and the way he is leading the team. We all know that he hasn't scored runs in seven or eight innings, and Surya also knows that," he responded.
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that India's 'Mr 360' knows how to regain his form and that one substantial knock would change the scenario.
"He knows better how to come out of it. It's a matter of just one knock for such a big player. When you score 30 to 40 runs and get a start, you convert it into a big knock, and then that one knock changes the entire thing," Chawla observed.
Suryakumar Yadav didn't have a great run with the bat in 2024 either, scoring 429 runs at a below-par average of 26.81 in 17 innings, and has endured a horror start to 2025.
"I just think the fast bowlers got to him and Sanju Samson" - Kevin Pietersen on Suryakumar Yadav's lean run in IND vs ENG 2025 T20Is
![Suryakumar Yadav had a top score of 14 in the five T20Is against England. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/02/954bc-17386419658910-1920.jpg?w=500)
On the same show, former England batter Kevin Pietersen was asked whether Suryakumar Yadav needed to change his approach to end his lean run.
"Not so sure about a change in approach. I just think the fast bowlers got to him and Sanju Samson, and they just had a series to forget, pretty similar to what Harry Brook had against you guys. It happens," he replied.
Pietersen added that SKY, as he is fondly called, isn't a robot and can have an underwhelming series.
"I had many a series where you failed to return the numbers that you wanted to return. The guy is not a robot. Not a robot at all. He is a guy who has played crazy innings. We have been mesmerized by the kind of stuff that he does with the bat. If he has a series where he doesn't score runs, so what?" he elaborated.
Suryakumar Yadav has smashed 2598 runs at an average of 38.20 and a strike rate of 167.07 in 79 T20I innings. He had great runs in 2022 and 2023, amassing 1897 runs at an average of 47.42 in 49 T20Is across the two years.