India’s crushing 51-run defeat to South Africa in the second T20I has once again spotlighted the fading batting form of Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill. However, amid growing scrutiny, Men in Blue’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate offered strong support for the captain and vice-captain pair, insisting that both players remain central to India’s long-term T20 plans.
Ryan ten Doeschate defends Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav despite their extended lean patch
Ten Doeschate acknowledged their ongoing struggles but stressed that he had seen “encouraging shifts in mindset,” particularly from Gill during the latter stages of India’s recent tour of Australia.
India’s top-order collapse in Mullanpur – where Gill, Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar all departed inside the powerplay – left the team with no foundation in a steep chase. While Gill’s T20 returns have been modest this year, ten Doeschate suggested that the young opener is showing signs of adjusting his approach.
“I saw some good signs of a change in mentality at the back end of the Australian tour,” he said after the match. He noted that Gill’s first-game dismissal in Cuttack came on a difficult wicket where the team had instructed players to attack early, and his second came courtesy of “a great ball” – something that can happen when a player is searching for rhythm.
Ten Doeschate added that Gill’s strong IPL history – seasons of 600-800 runs – is proof of his ability to find form quickly, expressing confidence that he will return to scoring big soon.
Suryakumar’s dip in output has been one of India’s biggest concerns in T20Is this year. The dynamic batter, once renowned for his 360-degree strokeplay, has collected only 201 runs in 17 innings in 2024, averaging 14.35 with no half-century.
Yet ten Doeschate dismissed suggestions that the team was worried, stressing that leadership responsibilities have been handled well by the skipper despite his batting slump.
“Exactly the same situation with Surya,” he explained. “We’re far down the road in our planning as a group. You back leaders like these. From the outside, I know it looks concerning, but I have absolute faith in them coming good at the right time.”
The assistant coach said that both Suryakumar and Gill were encouraged to play with greater freedom, similar to how they express themselves in the IPL.
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India coach praises Suryakumar’s leadership skills
Ten Doeschate also revealed that Suryakumar experienced a “light-bulb moment” during the Australia tour and had been hitting the ball well in training ahead of the South Africa series.
As a No. 3 batter, the team still expects him to attack from the outset. The assistant coach stressed that while expectations are high, their belief in his ability hasn’t been shaken.
“His leadership has been fantastic,” he noted. “He’s got the team aligned in terms of plans and buy-ins. The runs will come.”
