Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav must have 'better answers', reckons R Ashwin

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India legend R Ashwin has suggested that India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav might need to rethink his batting strategy following a disappointing run in the England T20I series.

While his leadership on the field was commendable, Surya's performances with the bat was not up to the mark. The 34-year-old managed only 28 runs across five matches, averaging just 5.60.

What stood out in Suryakumar's poor form was his repeated dismissal to the same type of delivery, a problem that also plagued Sanju Samson. Speaking on his YouTube channel, as quoted by Hindustan Times, Ashwin emphasized that Suryakumar's batting struggles were a bigger concern than his captaincy. The former spinner noted that both the Indian skipper and Samson kept falling to identical deliveries.

"The problem though, however, is Suryakumar's batting. Of course, his captaincy has been really good in this series. His captaincy has been on point, too. But he can allow his batting some much-needed breathing space. Sanju Samson and SKY getting out to the same ball, same field, same shot, same mistake, same dismissal," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel 'Ash Ki Baat'.

"I can understand it happening in 1-2 games, but this is not uncanny anymore. Players should play with freedom, but our batters need to have better answers to the same question," he added.

Ashwin further stated that while Suryakumar is an experienced cricketer who played a key role in ushering in a new era, it is now crucial for him to work on his batting. Although Suryakumar struggled with bat, India went on to beat England 4-1 in the T20I series.

With the upcoming England ODIs and Champions Trophy on the horizon, Suryakumar will have time to reassess his game. The star batter will be playing for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy knockouts, which shall provide an opportunity to return to form for him.

Like Suryakumar, Sanju Samson also had an underwhelming series and the Kerala player has now suffered a fractured finger, which shall keep him out of action for at least six weeks.