Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene has backed Suryakumar Yadav to come good despite his struggles in IPL 2026. Ahead of a crucial clash against Chennai Super Kings, the coach made it clear that the team continues to trust their senior batter to return to form.
Suryakumar’s recent dip has been under the spotlight as MI look to turn around their season. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Jayawardene addressed the concerns around his form.
“I mean, he just won the World Cup as captain and was the Player of the Tournament last year. So what more can you say? We’ve had conversations about him. If you look at his batting in the nets, he practises as well as anyone. Even in matches, he’s hitting the ball well. But the way he’s gotten out a few times has been unfortunate. Sometimes he’s hit a shot and been caught at the boundary, and at other times he’s just faced a couple of good balls,” Jayawardene said.
“We just keep encouraging him. If you look at Surya, he’s had three or four brilliant years, not just last season. Players are human, and sometimes they go through a phase where things don’t go their way. He understands that, and he’ll come back with a smile and play the way he knows best,” he added.
MI head into the CSK clash needing a strong performance, sitting ninth on the table with just two wins from eight matches. With the tournament entering a crucial phase, the team will be hoping their experienced players step up.
HOW HAS SURYAKUMAR YADAV’S FORM BEEN IN IPL 2026?
Suryakumar’s numbers this season underline the concern.
In eight innings, he has scored 162 runs at an average of 20.25 and a strike rate of 140.87, which is below his usual standards in the middle overs. The bigger issue has been the lack of impact innings, with his last six scores reading 6, 33, 0, 15, 36 and 5.
“We just keep encouraging him. If you look at Surya, he’s had three or four brilliant years, not just last season. Players are human, and sometimes they go through a phase where things don’t go their way. He understands that, and he’ll come back with a smile and play the way he knows best,” Jayawardene said.
His most recent outing against Sunrisers Hyderabad summed up the trend. Walking in after a strong start from Ryan Rickelton, Suryakumar managed just 5 off 5 balls before getting out to Eshan Malinga, missing a chance to push MI towards an even bigger total.
CAN SURYAKUMAR YADAV STEP UP FOR MI VS CSK?
The clash against Chennai Super Kings now becomes even more important for both MI and Suryakumar.
MI lost the earlier meeting at Chepauk, and with their campaign slipping, they need a turnaround quickly. A player of Suryakumar’s quality remains central to that plan, especially in the middle overs where MI have lacked consistency.
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