India captain Suryakumar Yadav admitted that he is “definitely out of runs” after failing to get going for the third game in a row against South Africa in Dharamsala on Sunday. The right-handed batter has had a horrid time in the Indian colours in 2025, failing to hit a single fifty and averaging less than 15. Suryakumar, known as India’s Mr.360, scored 717 runs for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL this year; however, his form for India has been woeful, and this is now becoming a significant concern for the team ahead of the all-important World Cup.
In the 20 matches he has played this year, Suryakumar has gone past the 30-run mark just twice – once against Pakistan in the Asia Cup and then in the T20I against Australia in Canberra. His highest score so far in 2025 is 47 not out against Pakistan in the Asia Cup in Dubai.
Making matters worse, time and time again, Suryakumar has been falling prey to his favourite pick-up shot. This was once again his undoing in the third T20I against the Proteas in Dharamsala.
Speaking at the post-match presentation after India’s seven-wicket victory, Suryakumar emphatically stated that he’s “not out of form” but definitely “out of runs.”
“See, the thing is that I have been batting beautifully in the nets. I am trying everything that is in my control. When the game comes, when the runs have to come, they will definitely come. But yes, I am looking for runs,” Suryakumar said at the post-match presentation.
“Not out of form, but definitely out of runs,” he added.
‘Sport teaches you a lot of things’
His own form aside, Suryakumar’s captaincy record is quite impressive in 2025, and he is yet to lose a series ever since taking over the T20I captaincy last year. After a hammering in the second T20I, the hosts bounced back strongly in the Dharamsala match, registering a win by seven wickets.
Speaking about the victory, the 35-year-old said, “I think this sport teaches you a lot of things. How you come back into the series is more important. And we did the same thing, we wanted to go back to basics, do the same things we were doing in Cuttack, and the results were on our side.”
“See, there was a lot of learning from the game we played in Chandigarh. The bowlers sat together, and we had a good team meeting as well. We came for practice sessions and attempted to replicate the same tasks we had done in Cuttack. We went back to basics. We didn’t try to do a lot of different things, but I think the basics were very important at that time,” he added.
India will now look to seal the five-match series in the fourth T20I at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Wednesday, December 17.
