Former Australia captain Michael Clarke is confident that Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav will regain his form before the 2026 T20 World Cup. Despite India’s strong performance in T20Is, Suryakumar faced a challenging period since 2024.
His 2025 T20I season was particularly tough, averaging only 13.62 with a strike rate of 123.16 over 21 matches. However, he bounced back in the recent T20I series against New Zealand, scoring three half-centuries with an average of over 80 and a strike rate of 196.74.
“It’s a huge advantage, no doubt. But it’s Cricket; you can’t make runs every time. He’s a great player in this format. It’s a boost that he’s back. However, I never doubted he would recover. T20 cricket is the hardest to regain form quickly because there’s little time,” Clarke told Revsportz.
“In T20, whether you’re in form or not, you need to score right away. As players age and become leaders, their experience helps them switch gears. Captains definitely aim to win big tournaments,” he added.
Clarke also mentioned that Indian opener Abhishek Sharma will soon excel in all formats. He is currently the top-ranked T20I batter, with 1,297 runs at an average above 37 and a strike rate of 194.74 from 38 T20Is, but he has yet to debut in Tests and ODIs.
“About a year ago, I said Abhishek Sharma is ready for all formats. It’s easy to say, but there needs to be a spot for him to play. He’s talented and understands his game well enough to adjust to Test and ODI cricket. It’s just a matter of time,” Clarke noted.
Clarke praised the Indian management for Ishan Kishan’s return to form. After more than two years away from the national team, Kishan had an excellent T20I series against New Zealand, averaging 53.75 with a strike rate of 231.18 over four innings.
“Ishan Kishan getting this opportunity is something the Indian selectors, captain, and coach deserve credit for. They believed in him, and he has delivered so far. He’ll want to perform well in the World Cup if given the chance,” Clarke stated.
