Why Suryakumar Yadav's Dubai Struggles Is India's Biggest Concern Ahead Of Asia Cup 2025

SKY's Dubai woes a worry for India [Source: AFP Photo]

Suryakumar Yadav is India’s best bet if India is to win the Asia Cup 2025 tournament. The maverick batter, who turned out to be a late bloomer, is considered the best T20I batter at the moment, and if he performs, India might have a strong chance of retaining their championship, which they won in the 2023 edition. 

India’s matches will take place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, and with the surface assisting the spinners, SKY’s work rate and batting prowess will be a key component for the Indian team. Hence, we look at how the captain of the side has performed at this venue (for India), and also for his IPL team (Mumbai Indians).

Suryakumar Yadav's performance in Dubai while playing for MI

(SKY at Dubai stadium for MI)

• For the Mumbai Indians, Suryakumar has struggled at this venue, registering only 101 runs in eight matches, with an average of just 16.
• Also, he has a strike rate of just 107.45, which is a stark contrast to his overall IPL strike rate of 148.66. In IPL matches, SKY is yet to crack the Dubai Stadium code, but he becomes a completely different player when he dons the Blue India jersey.

Suryakumar Yadav in Dubai Stadium for India

(SKY for India in Dubai)

• When playing for India, Suryakumar Yadav’s stats get better at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. His strike rate skyrockets to 158.77, while the average also increases to 36.
• Compared to his IPL stats at the same venue, SKY has performed better while playing for India, and it should come in as a massive boost for the Men in Blue, however, there is an underlying catch.

Non performance against big teams

Yes, he has a strike rate of 158 in Dubai Stadium while playing for India, but the underlying truth is that he has failed to deliver against the big teams, especially vs Pakistan.

(SKY vs all teams in Dubai)

• If we look at his overall record vs all teams at the venue, there is one point to be noted - he has failed vs all the big nations. In three matches against Pakistan, SKY has only scored 42 runs, while against Sri Lanka, his strike rate languished at 117.
• However, against the lesser-known teams, the captain of the team played some blinders. Heading into the Asia Cup 2025, Suryakumar has been in fine form, but can he keep the past Dubai ghost behind and deliver?.

---

ALSO READ

Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Vs Abrar And Sufiyan: Analysing IND-PAK Spin Duo Before Asia Cup

---