Suryakumar Yadav needs just one innings, we know how dangerous he can be: Tilak Varma

Ahmedabad: Suryakumar Yadav has received backing from teammate Tilak Varma, who said the out-of-form India T20I skipper "needs just one innings" to rediscover the mojo with which he once dominated bowlers like a marauder.

Tilak also described Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy as the team's "go-to" bowlers, after setting up India's 30-run win in the fifth T20I against South Africa and a 3-1 series triumph here on Friday.

"I was just saying (to him) that just middle a few balls, just wait and just be calm and take the few balls' times," Tilak told reporters.

"If (the) team wants I can get going from the other side, (but) you just be on the crease and take some time. Take the feel of the middle of the bat, that's what I was talking to him." Tilak scored a 42-ball 73 and added 105 runs with Hardik Pandya (63) to power India to 231/5, and in reply, South Africa ended at 201/8.

While each of the Indian batters including Abhishek Sharma (34) and Sanju Samson (37) contributed, Suryakumar's 7-ball 5 added another failure to his string of low scores.

Tilak said of Surya, "If he gets that confidence then he will be... everyone has watched him, how he can play, so I think at this time if he takes a few balls at that moment, I would not say (to him to) just (try) going over the fielder." "But I was just saying (to him) that try finding the gaps. If you can pierce the field well from your bat, you get a good feel about it and after that you are going to hit. It was not his day, but everyone is waiting for that one innings, if he gets that one innings then everyone knows how dangerous he can be," Tilak added.

While he has had a lean patch for India, Suryakumar notched 16 consecutive innings of at least 25 runs for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, but his numbers in T20Is in 2025 stand at a poor 218 runs in 19 innings at 13.62, and without a single half-century.

India's main men with ball

Tilak said Bumrah and Chakravarthy, who shared six wickets between them, are India's go-to bowlers in the format.

"Comparing to other fast bowlers, everyone knows that Jasprit Bumrah has that extra (sting) in his bowling. The same way, I would also say that Varun Chakravarthy has that extra something in his bowling, (with) which he can take wickets anytime," Tilak said.

"These two bowlers are go-to bowlers whenever the team needs a wicket, they will do that and that's what Varun has shown in the whole series, especially today when we were under pressure, he took that two wickets in an over," he added.

Talking about Hardik Pandya's rapid half-century off 16 balls — the second fastest for India in T20Is — Tilak said he was able to middle every delivery.

"It was very good to watch from (the) non-striker's (end), it was incredible batting by him. The way he was hitting every ball (was coming off) right from the middle of the bat and it was fantastic innings by him," he said.

"The partnership and the way he batted was very crucial on this wicket and the way he showed intent right from the first ball, it was very good to watch." "The way Varun is doing consistently for the team, (it) is good to watch and that's what makes him a world No 1 T20 bowler, so he is high in confidence (and) touch wood he should be doing that till the World Cup," Tilak added.

Tilak said the pitch was conducive enough to attack from the first ball.

"I had seen the first few overs the way Abhishek and Sanju batted, so it had been a good wicket, so I just want to get going right from the first ball," he said.

"I just want to finish the game and play according to the situation. If the team needs to bat at the highest strike rate, then I will do that, (and) if team wants me to just finish the game, then I will play like that," he added.