Sport|CricketSuryakumar and Gill backed to regain India mojo for T20 World CupIndia will defend their T20 World Cup title at the 2026 edition starting in February, but form eludes captain and deputy.

India's T20 captain, Suryakumar Yadav, and vice-captain, Shubman Gill, are experiencing a decline in form. Despite this, the team management is confident in their ability to recover before the upcoming home World Cup scheduled for early next year.

Shubman Gill, recovering from a neck injury, scored four and zero in the first two T20 matches of the current series against South Africa. He has been unable to secure a half-century in his last 17 innings in this format.

Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate commented on Gill's recent performance, noting that he was dismissed by a quality delivery. Despite current challenges, Gill's past performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) demonstrates his capabilities, with multiple seasons of high runs accumulation.

T20 specialist Suryakumar Yadav is also facing challenges, having scored 227 runs at an average of 13.35 in his last 20 innings without achieving any half-centuries. Ten Doeschate expressed confidence in Yadav's ability to regain form, citing his leadership and skill.

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan highlighted the pressure on Suryakumar Yadav due to his role as captain, which guarantees his place in the playing XI. Pathan emphasized the need for Yadav to find the right batting position and improve shot selection to regain form before the World Cup.

India is set to defend its title at the T20 World Cup, which the country will co-host with Sri Lanka starting from Wed, Feb 7, 2024. For more details, visit the full match report .

Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.