Suryakumar Yadav will miss the next World Cup for India: India defeated West Indies by five wickets in a must-win match to qualify for the semi-finals of the 2026 T20 World Cup. The Men in Blue will face England in the next stage of the major tournament. Despite Sanju Samson’s brilliant inning of 97* runs, there are concerns about the form of some players in the team.
Among these, the form of captain Suryakumar Yadav also remains a matter of concern. Despite a good start in the competition, he has failed to maintain the momentum. Suryakumar Yadav has scored just one half-century in the competition, which came in the first game against USA at the Wankhede Stadium. He has scored 30+ scores almost thrice, but his strike rate has been the main concern.
Because this is what you expect from Sky – Rohan Gavaskar
Speaking on Cricbuzz, former England captain Michael Vaughan and former India batsman Rohan Gavaskar shared their views on the decline in Surya’s strike rate despite a good start in this competition.
Rohan Gavaskar said, “I mean, it depends on what kind of length you look at. When India were in trouble against America, he came and scored 84 off 49. Now, when I say this, the only thing I would be a little worried about is his strike rate.”
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Now or never for Sky? @Michael Vaughn, @rohangava9 & @gauravkapur weigh #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/KhO6I8Uh65
– Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) 2 March 2026
“Because with Sky, what you expect is that even if he gives you 30, which he has got on three occasions, you want the strike rate to be there. You want it to be around 170-180, because that is the template of T20 batting now.”
“You get quick 30 runs with a strike rate of 180, you have done a great job. You don’t have to worry about scores of 50 or 60. So, look, the only thing I would be a little bit worried about is his strike rate. But like you said, if you keep winning, you know, it’s the little things.”
Those numbers aren’t enough for him [Suryakumar Yadav]- Michael Vaughan
Adding to this, former England captain Michael Vaughan has criticized Suryakumar Yadav as he believes that the current T20I captain has failed to maintain the strike rate and is playing T20 like a 50-over format.
Vaughan pointed out that this is the last chance for Suryakumar Yadav, as he is already 35 years old and with the amount of talent India has, especially in the shorter formats of the game, he may not be selected for the next T20 World Cup in 2028.
Vaughan said, “To be honest, I have Sky on top in T20 and 50-over batting. I think he is brilliant at times. These figures are not good enough for him. He played a good innings against USA. You don’t judge your World Cup by the innings against USA.”
“33 from 13 against Zimbabwe – you are right about the strike rate. These strike rates are very low for a player like Sky. And I think he has reached a stage now where he has an incredible opportunity to step up his game in the next two games, and he can get on the podium to win the World Cup.”
“He may never get that chance again. He may not get that chance after two years. Who knows about Indian cricket, how much talent they have. With all these young players coming through, they are all over the place. And by the way, if you keep those stats going, he won’t be there.”
Suyarakumar Yadav is currently the leading run scorer for India in this competition. Batting for the team, he has scored 231 runs in seven innings. Suryakumar Yadav will present his next challenge against England at his home ground Wankhede.
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