All eyes on SKY: Surya’s form in focus as India take on Australia in the first T20I

In the history of T20 international cricket, 33 players have scored over 2000 runs. Among them, only 16 of them average above 30. However, there is only one who has achieved the two at a strike rate of above 160.

The reason is not that hard to understand. The nature of the format is such that it requires a batter to throw caution to the wind and take risk from the word go, making consistency an extremely difficult thing to achieve.

They either have to compromise on average or strike rate. It makes achieving the holy grail of ‘high average, high strike rate’ as scarce as hen’s teeth. But one player has done that.

Suryakumar Yadav, who made his international bow rather late at the age of 30, has accumulated 2,670 runs from 90 matches with an average of 37.08 and at a remarkable strike rate of 164.20.

If you are impressed, wait till you see the numbers before his form started going downwards around a year ago. On October 12, 2024, when he scored his last fifty-plus score against B a n g l a d e s h i n Hyderabad, his average stood at 42.40 and strike rate at 169.48.

Since then , Suryakumar has been a shadow of his consistent, explosive self. In the last one year, the Mumbaikar has scored only 126 runs in 14 innings, averaging just 10.50 while striking at 100.80.

“I feel I am not out of form, I feel I am out of runs. I believe more in what I am doing in the nets and my preparation. So in matches, things are on autopilot,” Suryakumar had said after leading India to the Asia Cup title last month.

Incidentally, the lean period has coincided with his ascension to the T20I captaincy, injury (sports hernia) and off-field distractions (political stand during Asia Cup and flurry of interviews after it). It’s difficult to say which part has affected him more but the struggle is real — during this time, he has had three zeroes (as many as in his first 71 innings) and only one 25-plus score — vs Pakistan in the Asia Cup.

What seems to give some credence to the above theory is his superlative form during this year’s IPL. Strangely enough, Suryakumar was at his brilliant best during the IPL, slamming 717 runs in 16 innings at a strike rate of 167.90 for Mumbai Indians. However, on both sides of the IPL, he struggled for runs.

“Honestly, Surya’s batting form doesn’t concern me because we have committed to an ultra-aggressive template in our dressing room. When you embrace this philosophy, failures are inevitable,” coach Gautam Gambhir said during a discussion on JioHotstar on Monday.

“It would be easy for Surya to score 40 off 30 balls and criticism, but we have collectively decided that it’s acceptable to fail while pursuing this approach.”

It may seem like a typical Gambhir hyperbole, but Suryakumar’s super abilities and past performances makes it important to give him a long rope. Also, there isn’t enough time between now and the upcoming T20 World Cup — to be held in India and Sri Lanka in February-March next year — to bring in a new captain.

That makes the five-match T20I series against Australia, starting today in Canberra, and the subsequent series in the lead up to the World Cup crucial for Suryakumar to regain his form.

“I feel I have been working really hard, ” Suryakumar said on Tuesday. “I have had good few sessions back home, good two to three sessions here, so I am in a good space. I think that is really important… runs, it will come eventually but I think working hard towards the team goal, it’s more important what team wants from you in different situations. I take one game at a time and if it starts then I think it will be a good thing.”

Indeed. There is no more dangerous batter in the world than an inform Suryakumar.