"I feel we also expect a lot" - India's batting coach on Suryakumar Yadav's form ahead of 3rd IND vs ENG 2025 T20I

Team India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has thrown his weight behind underfire skipper Suryakumar Yadav, saying that the latter is playing selfless cricket. His comments came ahead of the third T20I between India and England in Rajkot on Tuesday, January 28.

Suryakumar bagged a three-ball duck in the first game of the series at Eden Gardens on January 22. He then followed it up with a seven-ball 17 in Chennai on January 25, and failed to make any significant impact during the run-chase.

Addressing reporters on the eve of the third T20I, Kotak asserted that there is no problem with Suryakumar's approach. The newly appointed coach highlighted the realistic side to the right-hander's form, saying that Suryakumar will perform in some games and not in some others given his selfless approach.

He said via India Today:

"Surya, I think he is performing, but sometimes I feel we also expect a lot. Every game, if we think Surya will perform (that is not okay). The game has become so aggressive, there is so much intent we have to play in the T20s, there will be a time when they get out because they are playing fearless (cricket)."

"Because if you want to score 200-225, you cannot play cricket where you are trying to save your wickets. Both things do not go hand in hand. He plays a brand of cricket for the team which is very, very selfless, and that is what he tells the batters as well. There are games he will perform, and there are games where he will not," Kotak added.

Sitanshu Kotak further added that a big knock from Suryakumar Yadav's bat is round the corner.

"I think that he has been batting with the same flow, I would not say there is any change really. But plan-wise, opposition sides will bowl in areas (to target him), but he is very smart and will read that, and practice according to that. I think, touchwood (he would score) in this game," he added.

---

How did Suryakumar Yadav perform in T20Is last year?

Suryakumar Yadav has been India's best batter in the shortest format of the game for quite some time now. He has been the World No. 1 batter, scoring 1164 runs in 2022 and 733 runs in 2023.

The right-hander failed to live up to the expectations in 2024, amassing 429 runs in 18 matches at an average of 26.81, including four half-centuries. He will look to get his form going in the remaining three matches of the series.