Suryakumar Yadav-led India crushed New Zealand by 48 runs in the first T20I, played at the VCA stadium on January 21. Suryakumar Yadav was of course a happy captain after the end of the match, and the reason is not just his team's performance but also his own batting. India's T20I captain, who was under fire for his batting failure before the start of the series, said that he has been practicing well in the last 2-3 weeks and his form was just a matter of time.
I felt good when I went into bat: Suryakumar Yadav
He came out to bat at no.4 and scored a 22-ball 32 and played a key role in helping India post 238/7. In reply, New Zealand fell short of 48 runs despite Glenn Maxwell's 40-ball 78.
"I mean, I felt good when I went into bat. It was perfect time for me to go into bat. Good pressure situation. I've been batting in that situation. And as I said earlier as well, I've been batting really well in the nets. It was just a matter of time when you play a few balls, bat the way I bat. And that doesn't change my identity. I think it came naturally. I mean, whatever strokes I played, I've been practicing really well in the last 2-3 weeks. I'm at it similarly during the net session. Played a few practice games as well. So I was feeling good," Suryakumar said at the post-match presentation.
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Suryakumar's patchy show with the bat in 2025
Suryakumar endured a rough patch with the bat in 2025. Across 19 T20I innings last year, he managed just 218 runs, resulting in a career-low average of 13.62 and a strike rate of 123.16. Most concerning for the top-ranked T20I side was the total absence of a half-century from their captain during the entire calendar year—a sharp decline for a player once renowned for his relentless scoring.
His most recent milestone dates back to October 2024 during a dominant performance against Bangladesh in Hyderabad. On that occasion, batting at number three, Suryakumar smashed a scintillating 75 off just 35 balls, a knock fueled by eight boundaries and five sixes at a blistering strike rate of 214.28. Since that night, however, he has been searching for the same rhythm that made him the most feared 360-degree batter in the world.
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With four matches remaining in the current series against New Zealand, there will be a bit of pressure on the skipper to find his form. As India prepares to launch their T20 World Cup title defense on February 7, the team’s success largely hinges on Suryakumar rediscovering his "magic touch."