‘Can’t hide in the dugout’: Suryakumar Yadav called out for repeating criticised stance as questions grow over form

The statement comes amid growing concern over Suryakumar's form, as he was dismissed for just 12 runs off 11 balls in the Dharamsala T20I

Former Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif on Sunday called out India captain Suryakumar Yadav for repeating the same stance during the third T20I against South Africa, a move for which the team faced criticism in the previous outing. The statement comes amid growing concern over Suryakumar's form, as he was dismissed for just 12 runs off 11 balls in Dharamsala.

India's captain Suryakumar Yadav returns to pavilion after his dismissal during the third T20I of a series between India and South Africa(PTI)

After India lost the second game of the series last week, former cricketers Robin Uthappa and Dale Steyn had criticised Suryakumar for not batting at his usual No. 3 position, especially after opener Shubman Gill fell for a golden duck in the first over of the chase. They also urged the team to stop experimenting with the top order, stressing that with the T20 World Cup just two months away, a fixed batting order, at least in the top three, was essential.

However, the criticism fell on deaf ears, as Suryakumar once again vacated his No. 3 spot for Tilak Varma in the third T20I and batted at No. 4. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif said that in a chase of 118, the captain would have benefited from batting at his usual position, where he could have wrapped up the game on an unbeaten note. He added that those 30–40 runs could have done wonders for Suryakumar ahead of the T20 World Cup.

"Suryakumar Yadav had a chance to bat at No.3 today. India had won the match and had a successful powerplay. He had the opportunity to bat at No.3, spend some time in the crease and stay unbeaten at 30 or 40. It would have been good for the upcoming matches. He is a solid player and no one is questioning his ability with the bat," Kaif said.

"Questions are about his form. He has been a good player; hence, questions are about his form. He had a good opportunity to bat and stay not out, which could have been good for the remaining T20Is before the World Cup. One innings can transform a player into a different player. When Tilak Varma was sent at No.3, cameras were at Suryakumar Yadav," he continued.

Suryakumar might have had a fabulous IPL 2025 season, scoring 717 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of 167.92, but in the international format he has struggled this year. In the 14 games he played in 2025, the right-hander managed only 201 runs at 14.36, with a strike rate of 126.42.

"When confidence is down, there are second thoughts, whether I should go out to bat or not. But you have to be brave. You can’t hide in the dugout if you want to make a comeback. You have to face that challenge to rise from that phase. Suryakumar Yadav has done that but he had a good chance in the third T20I. When he did come out to bat, there were hardly runs to be scored. Even if he was not out, he couldn’t have made more than 20 runs. If he batted at number three, there was a chance Surya could have made at least 40 runs," Kaif added.

In the ongoing series, Suryakumar has scored just 29 runs, and the pressure will be immense in the final two matches against South Africa, as India will need their most experienced batter to find rhythm ahead of the World Cup.