After enduring a torrid run with the bat in T20 Internationals last year, and the added burden of captaincy during a lean phase compounding his struggles, Suryakumar Yadav said taking time in the middle and a break from social media helped him rediscover his rhythm.
With only 218 runs in 21 matches, Suryakumar’s form had remained a concern throughout 2025 as India trained focus on their title defence in next month’s T20 World Cup.
But all such concerns have been largely dissipated over the first two matches against New Zealand, in which the former world No. 1 beginning with a watchful 22-ball 32 in the first game to going full throttle in his 37-ball 82 in the second.
"There's a coach sitting at home as well, to whom I am married. She keeps telling me, ‘I think you should take some time (in the middle)’,” Suryakumar told Ishan Kishan in a video shared by the BCCI, referring to some inputs given by his wife.
"… because she has seen me the closest, she reads my mind. I decided to take some time; took it in the last game and today as well and I have got a better feeling.
"I was anyway telling everyone that I was batting well. I was trying in the nets. But no matter how much you do in the nets, until you score runs in the match, you don't get confidence,” he added.
Suryakumar said taking time off from social media as well as in general also contributed to a significant extent.
"I got a good break of 2-3 weeks (after series against South Africa). I went home and cut off all social media. I didn't spend much time there. I practiced well in the last three weeks and I came in with a good (mental) space,” he said.
Kishan added, “… and it’s very important to stay happy”.
Suryakumar seconded him and said, "Cricket is a fantastic leveller, and they said that it is a game of humble people. I think it is very important to have humility." The Indian captain also said it was important to show someone, other than the world No. 1 Abhishek Sharma, can make runs.
“… and we also had to end this conversation in front of the world that India would win only when Abhishek would score,” he said with a familiar quip.
“If Ishan gets runs, we can win the match too. Although, Abhishek Sharma is my favourite batter and I want him to make runs in every game. It's a team game. You win the match with the help of eleven people.
“But we will keep trying. We will keep contributing. And we will keep giving you reasons for entertainment and we will play the format the way it is meant to be played,” he added.
Suryakumar also heaped praise on Ishan’s onslaught of 32-ball 76 including 11 fours and four sixes, which also saw the southpaw making the fastest T20I fifty (off 21 balls) for any Indian against New Zealand.
“I have never seen anyone bat like this in my life in T20 cricket… what exactly happened that at 6/2, you went in and straightaway attacked,” Suryakumar wondered.
Kishan said he was seeing the ball really well and had the confidence to go hard even at good balls.
"I was seeing the ball really well and and at no moment did I feel they would get me out even on a good ball. Even on a good ball, I felt like I would either hit it or take a single," Kishan said.
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