Suryakumar Yadav is facing scrutiny not only as India’s T20I captain but also as a batsman looking for form, as the national selectors have now announced the squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 and the five-match T20I series against New Zealand.
The Indian cricket team may have recently defeated South Africa 3-1 in the five-match T20 series at home, but Suryakumar Yadav’s own statistics have raised concerns. He managed to score 12, 5, 12 and 5 against South Africa and ended the 2025 season without a single half-century in T20I cricket.
Suryakumar Yadav is under pressure as Shubman Gill has been ruled out of ICC T20 World Cup 2026
Overall, the Indian captain has scored 218 runs in 19 T20I innings this year at an average of over 13 with a strike rate of 123. As India prepare to defend their ICC T20 World Cup title, the Men in Blue will need even more with the bat from their skipper Suryakumar Yadav.
Also read: Sanju Samson posts excited message after defeating Shubman Gill to make T20 World Cup squad
At the same time, the Indian selectors have made it clear that no player is guaranteed a place just on the basis of name. Shubman Gill has been left out of India’s squad for both the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 and the five-match T20I series, and the move has sent a strong message to the players.
India’s squad announced for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
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– BCCI (@BCCI) 20 December 2025
Explaining Gill’s omission, Indian chief selector Ajit Agarkar said in the press conference, “At the moment he is short of runs and he could not even play the last World Cup.” Suryakumar Yadav, on the other hand, said, “It is not about Gill’s form. We wanted to have a keeper at the top.”
Shubman Gill has been replaced by Ishan Kishan in India’s T20 team.
Gill has been strong in Test and ODI, but his form in T20 has been tremendous. India want quick and aggressive starts at the top and Gill’s recent numbers fall short of that demand.
The right-handed batsman scored 4, 0 and 28 against South Africa and that run sealed his T20I fate. The selectors have brought back Ishan Kishan and Rinku Singh for the mega event, which shows a clear shift towards impact players.
Also Read: Ishan Kishan reacts to ending his long wait with ICC T20 World Cup 2026 selection
Along with wicketkeeping skills, Kishan also has explosive batting at the top, which gives more balance to the team. Rinku, on the other hand, has built her strong reputation as a fearless finisher who can change the game in just a few overs.
Suryakumar Kumar has sent a strong message after questions being raised on his form.
Well, when the Indian captain was asked about his poor form in the format, Suryakumar Yadav gave a blunt answer to the reporters after the team announcement. The Indian captain has made it clear that he is fully aware of his decline in form and is confident of things turning around.
He emphasized that bad times are a part of every player’s journey, even if his bad times last longer than expected. However, SKY backed themselves to rediscover their form in the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand ahead of the mega event.
Suryakumar said in the press conference, “I know what to do and I will do it. You will see Surya the batsman. Everyone has gone through such a phase, it is just that my phase has lasted a little longer.”