Former captain of Australia ricky ponting has thrown his weight behind India’s T20I captain Suryakumar YadavExplaining how the star cricketer can return to the fearless style that made him one of the most destructive batsmen in world cricket. With the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 starting on February 7, Ponting believes Suryakumar’s experience and confidence will be crucial to India’s campaign.
Suryakumar Yadav’s surprising fall in T20Is
Suryakumar’s decline in form during the 2025 T20I season raised eyebrows in the cricket world. The Indian captain, known for his innovative stroke game and ability to dominate the bowlers at all stages of the innings, suffered an unusually low number of runs. In 19 T20I innings in 2025, he scored only 218 runs at an average of 13.62 with a strike rate of 123.16. Notably, he failed to register a single half-century, his highest score being 47 not out.
Ponting admitted that these figures were unexpected for a player of Suryakumar’s ability. The former Australian great highlighted that consistency has long been one of the biggest strengths of the Indian batsmen, making their recent struggle all the more surprising.
“Looking at his recent form, it is as big a surprise to me. He has been such a solid and consistent contributor for India in T20 cricket for a long time and recently it has been unearthed. He is interesting because when I have seen him play his best, he has taken six or eight or 10 balls and then let it all go.” Ponting told ICC.
Ponting told how Suryakumar can regain his form
Ponting insisted that the key to Suryakumar’s revival lies in mindset rather than technique. According to Ponting, when Suryakumar is at his best, he allows himself a brief period of time before hitting his full range of shots without the fear of getting out. Tasmanian drew parallels travis headNoting that both players are successful when they focus on scoring freely rather than worrying about getting out. He advised Suryakumar to think about scoring runs, trust his instincts and stick to methods that have already proven successful at the highest level.
“He plays all his shots and backs himself and is a bit like Travis Head where it seems like he is never afraid of getting out. That’s what I would say to him. I would say, think about scoring runs, don’t think about getting out. Believe in yourself, back yourself. You have proven to be as good as any other player in the world in the T20 format and go and prove it to everyone once again.” added Ponting.
Also read: Ricky Ponting names Australia’s 16-man squad for Ashes 2027; Two uncapped players selected
There is a lot of difference between Surya’s international and IPL form.
What has baffled experts and fans alike is the sharp contrast between Suryakumar’s international struggles and his impressive performances in franchise cricket. during ipl 2025 season, he was in sensational touch Mumbai IndiansFinished as the franchise’s leading run-scorer with 717 runs. He surprisingly dismantled the bowling attack with an average of 65.18 and a strike rate of 167.91. This disparity suggests that the issue is not a decline in skills, but perhaps the added pressure of leadership and expectations at the international level.
As India’s T20I captain, Suryakumar’s form takes on added importance. His performances in the upcoming World Cup will be closely scrutinized, not only for their impact on India’s results but also for what they indicate about his leadership under pressure.
Also read: Who is Khushi Mukherjee? The actress who made bold claims against Suryakumar Yadav