India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has stepped up in defence of T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav and vice-captain Shubman Gill, both of whom continue to struggle for runs in the shortest format. The pressure on the senior duo intensified during the second T20I against South Africa in Mullanpur, where Gill fell for a golden duck, and Suryakumar managed only 5.
With India failing to chase down a stiff target of 214 and eventually losing by 51 runs, the spotlight has once again shifted to the batting form of two of India’s most important white-ball players. The bigger worry for Indian fans is the length of this lean patch. Both Gill and Suryakumar have had a prolonged run of low scores, raising concerns as the team inches closer to the T20 World Cup 2026 at home. Gill has scored just 263 runs in his last 14 T20I innings, while Suryakumar hasn’t looked like his usual 360-degree self for months.
Despite that, Ryan ten Doeschate believes the noise around their form is exaggerated and insists that the team management remains fully committed to backing them. Speaking about Gill’s dismissals in the series so far, ten Doeschate pointed out that the opener has actually shown promising signs in recent months.
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“Shubman, I saw some good signs of a change in mentality towards the back end of that Australian tour,” he said during the post-match press conference. He explained that Gill’s first-innings failure in Cuttack came on a tricky wicket while playing an aggressive role the team demanded, and in Mullanpur, he simply got a beauty from Lungi Ngidi. “That can happen when you’re short on form,” the assistant coach added.
Ten Doeschate also brushed off criticism about Gill’s overall output, emphasising that class players eventually bounce back. He highlighted Gill’s IPL pedigree, pointing out how easily he racks up 700–800 runs in a season. “We believe in his class, and we believe he will come good,” he said. The same level of trust, he added, extends to Suryakumar Yadav, whose leadership and attacking mindset remain vital to India’s T20 blueprint.
Since the 2024 T20 World Cup, Suryakumar has scored 431 runs in 26 innings at an average below 20—an unusual slump for someone considered one of the world’s most dangerous T20 batters. Gill, returning to the T20I setup in 2025, has also failed to hit a single half-century.
But ten Doeschate believes part of Gill’s struggle stems from the pressure of leadership he carried during the England tour. He revealed that Gill had been “too caring and a little too tight,” trying to justify his place rather than playing with the freedom he shows in the IPL. “We want him to play freely again,” he said.
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On Suryakumar, ten Doeschate acknowledged the poor run but praised his captaincy, attacking approach, and composure under pressure. “If you’re India’s No. 3, there’s pressure on you to score runs. There’s been a stretch where he hasn’t scored the way we’d like, but we’re not worried,” he concluded.
With the series tied 1-1 and the third T20I set for December 14 in Dharamsala, India know they need their skipper and vice-captain firing soon. With eight more games left before the World Cup, the Men in Blue desperately hope their senior batters rediscover their rhythm as they look to defend the title on home soil.
