New Delhi, Oct 28 As India prepare to face Australia in a high-stakes T20I series as part of preparations for next year’s T20 World Cup, former wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel believes it will be very beneficial for the visitors if captain Suryakumar Yadav rediscovers his form and ends his lean run with the bat.
Widely regarded as one of the most destructive batters in the shortest format, Suryakumar has faced a challenging period – as evidenced by him scoring only 72 runs during India’s victorious Asia Cup campaign in the UAE.
In 2025, Suryakumar has scored just 100 runs across 11 innings and hasn’t made a fifty in his last 14 T20Is. Since taking over the captaincy last year after Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the format following the T20 World Cup win, Suryakumar has accumulated 330 runs in 20 matches, which is concerning for a player of his calibre.
"More than the personal thing, I feel it's important that Surya finds form for the team. Basically, we know what he can do as a batter. If he gets runs, he can completely destroy the opposition. So from that point of view, I feel that if Surya gets some runs, it will be very helpful for the team," Patel, a JioStar expert, told IANS during a virtual media day ahead of the first T20I, to be played at Canberra’s Manuka Oval on Wednesday.
India are coming on the back of winning their last nine bilateral T20I series and have won seven of their past eight games against Australia in the shortest format, including a current three-game streak against the Mitchell Marsh-led side.
For most Indian batters, how they adapt and respond to the extra bounce that Australian pitches offer, especially with significantly larger boundaries, would make for a fascinating watch. Patel believes India should stick to their aggressive batting style that has consistently brought them success.
"I don't think India needs to change their approach at all. You change your approach or try to rectify something if it has gone wrong. I think India has been playing fantastic cricket in the last few years, especially in this format. So, I don't see India needs to change anything. I know the conditions are different. You just have to get used to the conditions and keep backing yourself," he said.
Drawing parallels with India's series win in South Africa last year, Patel elaborated, "See, when you are playing in Australia, obviously, the new ball seems to swing a little more than it usually does. But another thing is that this Indian team played in South Africa with the same approach and also performed well there. So that adjustment is only of the bounce."
"With the grounds being big, you will have to see where and how you would use its big boundaries. When you are playing in small grounds, you will have to see where there is a small side so that big shots can be bit there. All those things, when you go to the ground, you look at the dimensions and make adjustments accordingly. I am sure this Indian team is as prepared as they can be to make those adjustments."
In the Asia Cup, vice-captain Shubman Gill returning to the top and partnering with Abhishek Sharma meant wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson was moved to number five. Although he was sometimes tentative, Samson demonstrated signs of adjusting to his new batting position through a vital 39 in a Super Over victory over Sri Lanka and 24 in the final over against Pakistan.
Patel concluded by saying that Samson can be expected to deliver good performances in Australia as a number five batter. "We saw in the Asia Cup how the Indian team was thinking in terms of giving confidence to Sanju Samson that he can bat at number five. He is adjusting; there is no doubt about that, and we saw that too. But hopefully, after the Asia Cup, you will get to see Sanju perform even better here in this series."
Catch all the action from the 1st T20 of India’s tour of Australia 2025, Wednesday, October 29, 1:45 PM IST onwards, live on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network.
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