India, Dec. 12 -- Suryakumar Yadav's dip in form has become a significant concern for India as the T20 World Cup draws nearer. The explosive batter-renowned for his unorthodox, all-around shot-making-has struggled to find rhythm for over a year now, a phase that has overlapped with his tenure as captain. His continued inconsistency has weakened India's middle-order impact and sparked discussions about whether the added responsibility is weighing on his natural, attacking instincts.

Since India's T20 World Cup win last year, Suryakumar has managed only 431 runs in 29 innings, averaging 18.73 with just two fifties to his name. While the team has enjoyed a fair amount of success under his leadership, his prolonged slump with the bat has now...