"You can't hide in the dugout" - Ex-RCB batter slams Suryakumar Yadav after Team India's win in IND vs SA 2025 3rd T20I

Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif has slammed Suryakumar Yadav despite leading India to a convincing victory in the third T20I in Dharamsala on Sunday, December 14. Kaif believes Suryakumar should have batted at No. 3 and scored runs to gain some confidence for the remaining matches ahead of the T20 World Cup.

The Indian captain has struggled in T20I cricket in 2025, managing only 201 runs in 14 games at 14.36 and a strike rate of 126.42. With Abhishek Sharma getting out in the sixth over, Tilak Varma came out to bat instead of the 35-year-old. Although Suryakumar walked to the crease at No. 4, Lungi Ngidi dismissed him for 12.

Speaking in a recent video on his YouTube channel 'Mohammad Kaif,' the 44-year-old opined that the veteran batter would have benefitted from staying unbeaten at 30 or 40 runs. Kaif reckoned those 30-40 runs could make him a different player in the matches to come, and that Suryakumar must face the situation head-on to rise from his rough patch.

"Suryakumar Yadav had a chance to bat at No.3 today. India had won the match and had a successful powerplay. He had the opportunity to bat at No.3, spend some time in the crease and stay unbeaten at 30 or 40. It would have been good for the upcoming matches. He is a solid player and no one is questioning his ability with the bat," Kaif said. "Questions are about his form. He has been a good player; hence, questions are about his form. He had a good opportunity to bat and stay not out, which could have been good for the remaining T20Is before the World Cup. One innings can transform a player into a different player. When Tilak Varma was sent at No.3, cameras were at Suryakumar Yadav," he continued. "When confidence is down, there are second thoughts, whether I should go out to bat or not. But you have to be brave. You can’t hide in the dugout if you want to make a comeback. You have to face that challenge to rise from that phase. Suryakumar Yadav has done that but he had a good chance in the third T20I. When he did come out to bat, there were hardly runs to be scored. Even if he was not out, he couldn’t have made more than 20 runs. If he batted at number three, there was a chance Surya could have made at least 40 runs," Kaif added.

The Mumbai-born cricketer has managed only 29 runs in the series so far and will need to make big scores consistently in the remaining seven T20Is before the World Cup. India may also need to decide on a fixed batting spot for their skipper.

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"His body language was one of wanting to place the ball well" - Mohammad Kaif on India star

Mohammad Kaif. (Image Credits: Mohammad Kaif X)

Reflecting on Shubman Gill's run-a-ball 28, Kaif pointed out that the star batter did not go searching for boundaries, unlike in his handful of previous innings. However, he believes Gill would be kicking himself for not staying unbeaten till the end. In the same video, Kaif said:

"Shubman Gill’s intent in those 10-15 balls was excellent. The footwork was also outstanding in the first boundary he picked up. His plan was to hit a four in every ball but he was not searching for it. It was the correct plan. His body language was one of wanting to place the ball well. When he got out, he threw his hands at the ball and the inside edged the ball onto the stumps. These things happen when you are trying too hard or there have been no big innings in recent times." "Gill would have realized this when he got out and looked up to the sky saying to himself, ‘I missed out on a good chance’. Cricket is a game of form. If you get lazy or late with your footwork, the wicket falls. A batter cannot afford to play even one shot wrong and Gill played one wrong shot to get out," he concluded.

With India leading the five-match series 2-1, the fourth T20I against South Africa will take place in Lucknow on Wednesday, December 17.

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Edited by Parag Jain