"Didn't have a good series against England" - Discarded Team India batter's massive statement on Suryakumar Yadav ahead of 2025 Asia Cup

Veteran Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane has commented on Team India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav's form ahead of the 2025 Asia Cup. He pointed out that the swashbuckling batter had a forgettable home series against England earlier this year.

While the Men in Blue won the five-match series 4-1, skipper Suryakumar had a dismal campaign with the bat. The 34-year-old finished with just 28 runs across five innings at a strike rate of 116.66.

However, Rahane noted that Suryakumar regained his mojo during the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL). The Mumbai Indians (MI) star crossed the 25-run mark in all of his 16 innings of the season.

He amassed 717 runs from 16 innings, the highest-ever by a non-opener in a single edition of the IPL. His runs came at an impressive strike rate of 167.91.

Rahane also highlighted that Suryakumar will be coming to the Asia Cup after undergoing a sports hernia surgery. Speaking in the latest video of his YouTube channel, the former India Test captain said (at 0:26):

"Didn't have a good series against England, but came back to form in IPL with five fifties and finished as the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament with a healthy strike rate. We all know Surya is a dangerous batter. In this format, he has done really well. But it will be interesting to see how he goes about his batting, especially after the surgery."

Suryakumar Yadav will continue being India's T20I captain for the 2025 Asia Cup. The Men in Blue will open their campaign on Wednesday, September 10. They face the United Arab Emirates at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai.

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"His batting will be really important" - Ajinkya Rahane on the importance of Suryakumar Yadav's form in Asia Cup 2025

Ajinkya Rahane praised Suryakumar Yadav's captaincy. He mentioned that the batter has done a fantastic job as India's T20I skipper. However, he emphasized that the veteran player's batting contributions will be crucial for India's success at the 2025 Asia Cup .

The Mumbai-based cricketer remarked in the same video (at 0:46):

"As a captain, he has been fantastic. He is a proactive captain, led the team really well in the past, but I feel, in this Asia Cup, his batting will be really important."

Suryakumar Yadav has captained India in 22 matches so far. He has 17 wins to his name and a win percentage of 77.27. He has yet to lose a bilateral T20I series as skipper.