Ten Doeschate Backs Suryakumar and Gill to Shine Before T20 World Cup in IND vs SA Clash

India finds itself in a challenging situation as key players Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill struggle to perform. Suryakumar, now 35, has scored only 201 runs in T20Is in 2025, with a modest average of 14.35 and a strike rate of 126.41 over 17 innings, indicating his inability to play as dynamically as in the past.

Shubman Gill, having taken over as India’s T20I opener from Sanju Samson, has also underperformed. The 26-year-old has amassed 263 runs in 14 matches, with an average of 23.9 and a strike rate of 142.93, which falls short of expectations. In the recent T20Is against South Africa, Gill scored only four runs, while Suryakumar managed 17.

Despite these struggles, India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate remains confident in their ability to bounce back. He encourages the duo to ignore external criticism and focus on playing positively. “We have invested in our planning around leadership and team setup,” ten Doeschate stated. “It’s important to support quality players and leaders like Gill and Suryakumar. I understand the concerns from an outside perspective, but I trust they will perform when it matters most,” he added after India’s significant 51-run defeat to South Africa in the second T20I.

Ten Doeschate emphasizes that Gill, who leads India in Tests and ODIs, shouldn’t feel pressured to justify his position in the T20I squad. He suggested that Gill’s pride in his Test leadership in England might be affecting his T20I performance. “We’ve discussed easing that responsibility and not focusing on proving his worth to the team. That’s not what we want from him,” ten Doeschate explained.

He acknowledged Suryakumar’s past form leading into the series, maintaining confidence in his abilities despite recent low scores. With eight T20Is remaining before the 2026 World Cup, the pressing question is how long India can afford to view these performances in isolation.