Sunday was another bad day for Suryakumar Yadav, as his golden duck against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Raipur lowered his IPL 2026 average to 17.73 and brought up those questions about who should captain India in T20 matches. Mumbai Indians are still supporting their important player, but the pressure is obvious.
The moment that stung in Raipur
He was out on the very first ball he faced. Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled a fast ball, 138kph, a little wide of off stump, tempting Suryakumar to hit it. He reached for the ball, got a thick edge, and Virat Kohli caught it at first slip.
This happened just one day after he’d rejoined the team, because he’d had a short time away from the game for the birth of his second baby. He was captaining Mumbai Indians in place of Hardik Pandya, who was injured, and he’d hoped a little break would get him back into good form.
Numbers that refuse to look away
This was the second time this season he’s been out for a golden duck; he was out first ball against Punjab Kings at Wankhede Stadium earlier. He has scored 195 runs in 11 innings now (an average of re 17.73) which is a big drop from last year when he was the IPL’s Most Valuable Player.
The difference in his stats is very clear. This is his worst average in the IPL since 2017 when he scored 105 runs in 10 innings, averaging 17.50. His lowest ever average was in 2015 (17.44). The way his scores have been going is more important than any one particular shot.
Inside the camp, faith over fear
The team’s head coach, Mahela Jayawardene, really believes in trusting his players and says we need to be patient. He says that players go through periods like this, and he’s made it very clear to Suryakumar that he should continue to believe in his skills.
Jayawardene also pointed out Suryakumar’s unusual strengths as a batter and how well he’s done over the last three or four years. He thinks players are only human, dips in form are normal, and a cheerful attitude combined with his bold style of play can help him find a way out of this.
Noise outside the boundary
After the match in Raipur, fans were very critical. One fan jokingly called him ‘Shunyakumar Yadav’ (meaning ‘zero-kumar Yadav’), another asked if he’s in the Indian and Mumbai Indians teams because of his captaincy, and a third said he needs to get a problem with his wrist fixed, even if he needs an operation after the IPL. This shows what the fans think, not necessarily what’s true.
Implications for India
This poor form is also causing worry about India’s plans for the T20 World Cup. There have been reports that the people choosing the team might look at other players to captain the side in the coming years, and every time Suryakumar has a low score, more attention is given to how long he can continue as captain.
What must shift on the field
The match in Raipur showed a problem that keeps happening: when he tries to hit a moving ball that’s a little wide of off stump, and uses a lot of force, he often gets out on the first ball. He doesn’t need to completely change how he plays, but he needs to be more careful with his timing, how fast he hits the ball, and be more controlled when the first ball is delivered.
Here are the key takeaways at a glance:
– Two golden ducks in IPL 2026
– 195 runs in 11 innings at 17.73
– Worst IPL average since 2017’s 17.50
– MI coach urges trust and patience
A lot is at stake. Mumbai Indians need Suryakumar to be at his very best, and to be the strong player in the middle of their batting lineup he usually is, and India need to be sure who their captain will be. For Suryakumar, the next time he walks out to bat isn’t just another beginning to an innings, it’s a chance to turn around a season that is repeatedly coming back to the very first ball he faces.
