Suryakumar Yadav’s golden duck against RCB revives unwanted IPL record after nine years

Suryakumar Yadav’s disappointing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 campaign hit another low during Mumbai Indians’ crucial clash against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Raipur on Sunday. The star batter was dismissed for a golden duck, further extending his struggles in what has been one of his toughest IPL seasons in recent years.

The dismissal also dragged Suryakumar’s batting average down to 17.73 in IPL 2026 — his worst return in the tournament since the 2017 season, when he scored just 105 runs in 10 innings at an average of 17.50.

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Suryakumar Yadav’s difficult IPL 2026 season continues

Suryakumar entered the high-pressure fixture against RCB after recently taking a short break from cricket following the birth of his second child. The Mumbai Indians batter had skipped the team’s travel to Raipur and joined the squad only a day before the match.

With regular skipper Hardik Pandya unavailable due to injury concerns, Suryakumar returned to lead Mumbai Indians in the important contest.

However, his comeback lasted just one delivery.

RCB pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar produced a brilliant delivery outside the off stump that moved enough off the seam to trouble the right-hander. Suryakumar attempted an aggressive drive but only managed a thick outside edge, with Virat Kohli completing a sharp low catch at first slip.

The dismissal marked Suryakumar’s second golden duck of IPL 2026, with the first also coming earlier this season against Punjab Kings at the Wankhede Stadium.

Despite being one of Mumbai Indians’ senior-most players and a former IPL Most Valuable Player winner, Suryakumar has struggled to produce consistent performances this year. He has managed only 195 runs in 11 innings so far.

The latest failure has now brought back an unwanted statistic from nearly a decade ago. His current average of 17.73 is his lowest in an IPL season since 2017, while his overall worst IPL average remains 17.44 from the 2015 season.

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MI continue to back Surya despite poor form

Even with the disappointing numbers, MI’s management continues to place complete faith in Suryakumar’s ability to bounce back.

MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene recently expressed confidence in the batter, stating that experienced players like Suryakumar eventually find solutions during difficult phases.

Given his track record in T20 cricket and his importance to the Mumbai Indians setup, the franchise is expected to continue backing him for the remainder of IPL 2026.