Suryakumar Yadav’s poor form continues; India T20 captain for 19 off 11 balls

MUMBAI: Suryakumar Yadav’s poor form shows no signs of abating at a time when there is speculation over whether he would remain as India’s T20 captain for the tour of Ireland and England.On Tuesday, the 35-year-old Triumph Knights skipper was bowled out for 19 off 11 balls in their T20 Mumbai League Season 4 opener as his team lost by 21 runs against North Mumbai Panthers at the Wankhede Stadium. Surya started well, adding 37 off 25 balls for the third wicket with youngster Nutan Goel smashing a brave 93 off 56 balls but was caught at deep square leg by spinner Rahul Sawant (2-32 in four overs) in the seventh over. Chasing 189, Triumph Knights were restricted to 188 for eight. Although Surya captained India to a second consecutive T20 World Cup title in February-March, he endured ordinary form in the tournament, managing only 242 runs at 30-25 in nine matches, with a top score of 84 not out against the USA in the opening match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.The veteran batsman’s luck with the bat did not improve in IPL-2026, where he scored just 260 runs at 20.76 in 13 matches, with a strike rate of 147.54, with just two fifties, for Mumbai Indians, who were eliminated in the league stage.India are set to play two T20Is against Ireland later this month in Belfast. The first T20I is scheduled for June 26 and the second T20I will be played two days later on June 28.