CHENNAI: WITH just a few months to go before India and Sri Lanka co-host the 2026 T20 World Cup, Gautam Gambhir’s men will hope that momentum they had gained during the Asia Cup triumph continues into the crucial five-match T20I series against Australia.
Coming into this series, skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s form with the bat has been a subject of debate. He is currently going through a lean patch with the bat, scoring only 100 runs in 12 innings this year. His performances in the Asia Cup was also a cause of concern, scoring only 72 runs in seven innings.
Former India wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel, explained the importance of his form in this series. “It is important that Surya finds form for the team. If he gets runs, he can completely destroy the opposition. So it will be very important for the team,” he said during a media interaction facilitated. by JioStar on Tuesday.
Recently, head coach Gautam Gambhir had defended his captain over his form. He said the team was committed to an aggressive style of cricket where “failure is inevitable." But with different conditions and a stronger opposition like Australia, it is important that the skipper improves his record.
Another talking point revolves around vice-captain Shubman Gill, who has also had an underwhelming year with the bat in T20Is. With him taking over as vice-captain and being given the opener’s slot, his run-scoring will come under the scanner. So far, he has scored 127 runs in seven innings this year, all of them coming in the Asia Cup in August-September. His best score was 47.
Patel, the Gujarat Titans’ assistant coach where Gill is the captain, backed him to have a good series. “He had a good couple of years in the IPL and he has shown a lot of leadership skills. So, the good thing about Indian cricket is we always talk about someone who is not there in the team who is equally good. But at the moment, it is Shubman who is getting these chances. I am sure he would like to convert those chances into big scores,” he said.
“We will always raise that question like in the previous one about Sanju Samson. But the player who is not playing is equally capable in Jitesh Sharma. So, my only thing is we should be putting our energy into someone who is already there and playing. We have to just make sure that the one who is there is doing a good performance," he said.
Getting used to the conditions in Australia will remain key for Suryakumar and Co. "(Adapting to conditions) will be the biggest challenge. But the team is there in Canberra for the last 4-5 days to train there," he said.
With both South Africa and New Zealand to follow post this series, getting runs away from home against Australia will be a big boost for the skipper. Only time will tell whether Suryakumar can turn his fortunes around, as India prepares for a crucial 2026.
Watch Australia vs India, 1st T20I 1:45 PM IST onwards, LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network
