Former Team India captain Rohit Sharma has expressed concern over the recent form of Suryakumar Yadav before the T20 World Cup 2026. Rohit said Suryakumar’s role with the bat is crucial if India want to successfully defend their title, as his poor form puts additional pressure on the rest of the batting unit.
Suryakumar scored 218 runs in 21 matches at a disappointing average of 13.62 and a strike rate of 123.16. The right-handed batsman last scored a half-century against Bangladesh in October 2024, which came 23 innings ago. Surya took over the captaincy from Rohit after India’s T20 World Cup victory in 2024.
If Suryakumar Yadav does not play well… – Rohit Sharma
In the video uploaded by Star Sports on X, Rohit Sharma said that the issue is not of leadership but of form. Rohit said that Suryakumar Yadav is a key part of India’s batting power, and when he does not perform, the entire batting lineup suffers.
“It’s not about whether the captain is in form or not. If a player is not in form, we are getting one less batsman out of the seven or eight batsmen we have,” Sharma said.
“The main batting power that we have, obviously, if you leave one out, it won’t be as effective as it should be. If Surya doesn’t play well, the batting lineup suffers,” he said.
“Sky knows the game. He knows the players.” @ImRo45 highlighted @surya_14kumarHis form and impact make him an important batsman whose presence brings balance and confidence to India’s batting lineup.
Why is SKY central to India’s success on the biggest stage?
watch it… pic.twitter.com/JEXFzIPhWA– Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) 20 January 2026
Suryakumar Yadav has a lot of understanding – Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma also praised Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership qualities ahead of the major tournament. He said that Suryakumar understands the game well and knows how to get the best performance from the people around him.
Rohit further said, “I think Surya has a lot of understanding about the game and the players he plays with and how to get the best out of them.”
India has suffered an injury blow before the T20 World Cup. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that Ravi Bishnoi will replace Washington Sundar in the T20I series against the New Zealand national cricket team.
If Sundar does not recover in time for the World Cup, his absence could have a big impact. Along with his bowling, he also plays an important role as a lower-order contributor.
Suryakumar Yadav eyes a fresh start in New Zealand T20 series before the World Cup
Suryakumar Yadav gained confidence during the 2025 IPL after a difficult end to 2024, but his form has not been good in international cricket.
Suryakumar will next be seen in action in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand starting January 21. India and Suryakumar will begin the series with the first T20I in Nagpur on Wednesday, January 21.
This series will be India’s last tournament before the 2026 T20 World Cup. The tournament will begin on February 7, with India taking on USA in their opening match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Also read: No SA20 or BBL! After international retirement, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli move towards new league
