Kamal Ghorui
Moments after India completed a 10-over chase of 154 in Guwahati, New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell walked up to Suryakumar Yadav and examined his bat, smiling as he did so.Suryakumar had just struck 57 off 26 balls, following up his 37-ball 82 in Raipur in the previous match. It was his second fifty in as many games in the series.Two matches, two fifties, and suddenly the questions that had followed him for months were quieter. Perhaps Mitchell wanted to know what kind of willow could do that. Or perhaps it was simply recognition of a batter who, when timing and intent align, can make the field feel too small.For the Indian team management, however, the feeling was less about admiration and more about reassurance. With the T20 World Cup less than a month away, the return of form of the captain is a key development.Until January 23, the picture had been different. Suryakumar had gone 23 innings without a fifty, with his last half-century coming on October 12, 2024. In that period, he managed only one score in excess of 40 and one above 30.There was also a pattern that raised concern. During that stretch, he was dismissed by fast bowlers 15 times within the first 10 balls of his innings.The second T20I at Raipur proved to be a turning point, aided by an unexpected match situation. The early dismissals of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, both back in the pavilion within 1.1 overs, forced Suryakumar into a role that required patience rather than instant acceleration.With the openers gone early, there was no demand on him to match a fast start. He had the chance to steady the innings and assess conditions.He began cautiously, scoring 10 runs from his first 10 balls. That strike-rate of 100 was unusual for him, but it allowed him to read the pitch and bowlers.Once settled, Suryakumar shifted gears. He scored 72 runs off his next 27 deliveries, targeting the fast bowlers who had troubled him in recent months.Zak Foulkes conceded 41 runs from 12 balls. Matt Henry went for 14 off six, while Jacob Duffy was taken for 16 off 11. Foulkes, in particular, bore the brunt, with boundaries behind fine leg, over long-on, through point and deep third man, and straight down the ground.It marked the return of the 360-degree strokeplay that defines Suryakumar’s batting.Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar highlighted the importance of that innings during the broadcast.“The knock gave him exactly the confidence he needed. He hasn’t been short of form; he’s been short of runs. He has been batting very well in the nets. He’s not struggling there, he’s hitting the ball cleanly and all around the ground.“It just wasn’t working for him in matches. Sometimes, all it takes is a bit of luck to get going. This time, he didn’t even need luck. That innings was exactly what he needed. His confidence is back,” Gavaskar said.The impact of that confidence was visible in the third T20I at the Baraspara Stadium on Sunday.This time, Suryakumar walked in under different circumstances. India were 53 for two in 3.2 overs while chasing 154. With more than 100 runs required and plenty of overs left, there was time to build an innings.He again started cautiously, scoring eight runs from his first eight balls, while Abhishek Sharma continued scoring freely at the other end.Suryakumar did not try to match his younger partner’s pace, even as Abhishek scored at a strike-rate of 345. Instead, the 35-year-old chose his match-ups carefully, focusing on the spinners.Glenn Phillips went for 15 runs off five balls. Ish Sodhi conceded 14 from eight, while Mitchell Santner was taken for 18 off eight. Many of the runs came through the sweep and slog-sweep.The innings underlined that Suryakumar has settled into his role at No. 4, giving India a safety net if the openers fail.Former India opener Aakash Chopra shared a similar view during a chat show.“He seemed to have realised that he needs to spend some time (in the middle). You have to accept that you need runs. Therefore a lot of strokes (to be played) along the ground, and not taking too many chances.“More importantly, he never allowed his ego to come in when Ishan Kishan was going hammer and tongs at one end. These are important things as you are not thinking only about this bilateral series, as this is a preparation for the World Cup,” Chopra said.
