Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav and his deputy Shubman Gill continue with their poor run of form with the bat ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026.

The experienced right-handed batters struggled in the opening clash of the 5-match T20I series against South Africa at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack.

However, Hardik Pandya’s unbeaten 59-run knock in the first innings steered India to post 175/6 in 20 overs.

Although Team India secured a massive 101-run victory over the hosts with a strong bowling performance, Gill and SKY’s recent form have now come under scrutiny.

Suryakumar’s Lean Patch in T20Is Extended

Once hailed for his 360-degree batting style, Suryakumar Yadav’s disastrous run with the bat became even worse in the opening T20I. The 35-year-old batted at the No.3 position. He managed to score only 12 runs out of 11 balls (including a four and a six) at a strike rate of 109.09.

SKY commenced his innings on a slow note by playing five dot balls. However, he tried finding his momentum by smashing a four and six, but failed to convert his start into a high-scoring innings.

As the Indian captain seemed to be well settled at the crease, his mistimed shot against the good-length delivery against Lungi Ngidi made it easier for the Proteas captain Aiden Markram to take a simple catch.

Out of 18 T20Is played this year, Suryakumar Yadav scored just 196 runs at an average of 15.07, including his highest score of an unbeaten 47-run knock against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025.

Shockingly, SKY wasn’t even able to score even a single fifty in T20Is starting from January 22 to December 09, 2025.

Suryakumar Yadav Secured an Unwanted Record as Captain

Among the full-member nations, captain Suryakumar Yadav added a humiliating record to his name by registering the third-lowest batting average as a T20I skipper in a single calendar year.

Shubman Gill’s Disappointing Return to T20Is

Ever since Shubman Gill returned to India’s T20I squad in the Asia Cup 2025, he has been able to score just 263 runs in 13 innings, averaging at 26.30.

Although he replaced Sanju Samson as opener, but ended up without any 50+ scores. His entry into the squad as vice-captain forced Samson to be benched in the 1st T20I against South Africa despite scoring three centuries in 2024. 

Recently, after suffering from a neck injury, there were high expectations set on Gill to perform his best. Contrarily, the right-handed batter ended up scoring 4 runs off just 2 balls after striking a boundary off his first delivery.

On a slow and tricky surface, Gill stepped out and recklessly played a lofted shot towards mid-off. As he failed to time the ball to perfection, Marco Jansen at mid-off took a straightforward catch.

SKY and Gill’s future in India’s T20I Squad?

With the T20 World Cup 2026 on the horizon, it is unlikely that the selectors would sideline Suryakumar Yadav despite his poor form. This is because the Asia Cup 2025 winning skipper boasts an impressive success rate in terms of captaincy.

Shubman Gill, on the other hand, seems to have fewer chances to secure his spot in the Indian squad. With several talented youngsters waiting to grab a golden opportunity, the selectors are expected to prioritize the promising contenders who could amplify the aggressive approach of the Indian batting line-up.

India’s T20I Captain and Vice-Captain’s Struggle in 2026

Here is how the skipper Suryakumar Yadav and the vice-captain Shubman Gill struggled with the bat to compile runs for Team India in T20Is this year:

Conclusion

Once hailed as an aggressive batter when batting at No.3, Suryakumar Yadav now looks like a pale shadow of himself. In recent matches, he tried to protect his wicket rather than taking calculated risks and responsibility in high-pressure matches.

Shubman Gill continues to face high pressure after Sanju Samson was benched, and talented players like Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal are not getting a proper chance to prove their mettle on a grand stage.

The early dismissals of SKY and Gill in the recent T20I led fans to severely troll the leadership pair.

As the time is running out ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, this could be the moment for Suryakumar and Gill to make a rousing comeback before the selectors make any other bold decision to replace them with talented youngsters.