Remember when Suryakumar Yadav made the impossible look routine? The scoop over fine leg, the ramp over third man, the audacious lap shot that left bowlers frozen in disbelief? Just two years ago, he was ranked No. 1 in T20Is and hailed as the poster boy of 360-degree batting. Fast forward to January 2026, and the same Suryakumar Yadav hasn’t crossed fifty in his last 19 T20I innings—scoring just 218 runs at a dismal average of 12.11 . What went wrong? According to former Indian pacer Varun Aaron, the answer might lie in the very shot that once defined his genius: the lap shot.
Table of Contents
- The Numbers Behind SKY’s Alarming Slump
- Is the Lap Shot Really the Problem?
- Varun Aaron’s Tactical Diagnosis
- Does Batting Position Hold the Key?
- Why SKY Shines in IPL But Struggles Internationally
- Can He Bounce Back Before the T20 World Cup?
- Sources
The Numbers Behind SKY’s Alarming Slump
Let’s be clear: this isn’t a minor dip. Since the 2024 T20 World Cup, Suryakumar Yadav has played 19 T20Is across series against England, Australia, South Africa, and now New Zealand. In that span, he’s been dismissed for single digits 12 times—including five ducks . His strike rate has dropped from a blistering 150+ to a pedestrian 118, and his boundary rate has halved. For a player whose value lies in explosive starts or rapid finishes, this level of inconsistency is unsustainable—especially with the 2026 T20 World Cup just months away.
Is the Lap Shot Really the Problem?
The lap shot—where the batter uses a soft touch to guide the ball fine of the wicketkeeper off pace or spin—has long been SKY’s signature. But in high-pressure internationals, it’s become a liability. Opposing teams have studied his tendencies. Bowlers now bowl wide yorkers or slower bouncers into his ribs, knowing he’s prone to attempting the lap even when it’s not on.
Video analysis shows that 7 of his last 10 dismissals involved either a failed lap attempt or a misread of a slower delivery while trying to rotate strike unconventionally . As one analyst put it, “He’s trying to be the old SKY, but the world has caught up.”
Varun Aaron’s Tactical Diagnosis
Former Indian fast bowler Varun Aaron recently broke down SKY’s struggles in a candid interview. “It’s not about talent—it’s about shot selection,” Aaron said. “He’s still playing those high-risk shots early in his innings, especially against quality pace. And he’s struggling badly against slower balls, which every team now bowls to him.”
Aaron didn’t stop there. He proposed a structural fix: “Bat him at No. 4, like in the IPL. At No. 3, he’s expected to anchor and attack simultaneously. At No. 4, he can assess the situation, target specific bowlers, and play his natural game without the burden of rebuilding.” This insight is crucial—because role clarity might be the missing piece.
Does Batting Position Hold the Key?
In the IPL, SKY thrives at No. 4 for Mumbai Indians. He walks in during the middle overs, reads the pitch, and targets death bowlers with surgical precision. But in the Indian T20I setup, he’s often slotted at No. 3—a role that demands stability against new-ball swing and spin in powerplay.
Here’s a quick comparison:
- IPL (No. 4, 2025 season): Avg 42.3, SR 158, 4 fifties in 14 games
- T20Is (No. 3, 2025–26): Avg 11.8, SR 119, 0 fifties in 19 games
The data speaks volumes. Perhaps India’s biggest mistake isn’t SKY’s form—but how they’re using him.
Why SKY Shines in IPL But Struggles Internationally
The gap between IPL and international performance isn’t unique to SKY—but it’s most pronounced in his case. Why?
- Familiarity**: In IPL, he knows his teammates, pitches, and opposition patterns.
- Pressure**: International matches carry national expectations; one failure leads to social media firestorms.
- Bowling Quality**: International attacks are more varied and disciplined than IPL’s often fragmented bowling units.
Until SKY adapts his approach to this higher-stakes environment, the slump may continue. For more on this phenomenon, see our deep dive on [INTERNAL_LINK:ipl-stars-international-struggles].
Can He Bounce Back Before the T20 World Cup?
Time is running out—but not gone. With the T20 World Cup scheduled for June 2026, India has a few bilateral series left to experiment. If selectors heed Aaron’s advice and move SKY to No. 4, reduce his reliance on ultra-risky shots early on, and let him rebuild confidence against lower-tier attacks, a comeback is possible.
After all, this is the same man who scored a match-winning 61* off 27 balls against Pakistan in 2022 under extreme pressure. The talent hasn’t vanished—it’s buried under layers of self-doubt and tactical misalignment. The question isn’t whether Suryakumar Yadav can return to form. It’s whether Team India will give him the right conditions to do so.
Sources
- Times of India: 19 innings, no fifty: Is ‘lap shot’ behind SKY’s lean patch?
- ESPNcricinfo Statsguru: Suryakumar Yadav Career Statistics
- ICC Player Rankings: Official T20I Batting Rankings