Suryakumar Yadav did what Suryakumar Yadav does best, again.
In a 45-ball carnage, he scored his third T20I century, finishing eventually on 112 off 51 balls to propel India to post a massive total of 228/5 in the third T20I against Sri Lanka at Rajkot on Saturday.
India then bowled out Sri Lanka for 137 in 16.4 overs for a 2-1 triumph and keep their win record in bi-lateral (men’s) series on home turf which stretches back to February 2019.
In what looked like another video game innings, like Virat Kohli calls it, the Mumbai batter scored his third T20I international century, all coming in the last six months. Only Rohit Sharma has scored more centuries in men’s T20Is (at four).
SKY rise: The making of Suryakumar Yadav, India’s elite T20 batter
Rahul Tripathi, playing only his second match for India, scored a fiery 16-ball 35 to give India a headstart after India lost opener Ishan Kishan in the first over. However, after Tripathi’s dismissal Suryakumar stitched a massive 111-run partnership with Shubman Gill playing second fiddle, to put India in the driver’s seat in the first innings.
All other batters in the middle order succumbed while attempting big-hits but Suryakumar stood firm to score an unbeaten 112 off 51 deliveries in a knock laced with nine sixes and seven fours. Once again it was a knock that defied logic at times, as he peppered the boundaries around the venue.
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Here’s a look at the reactions to his innings:
This is pure entertainment🔥
— Lasith Malinga (@malinga_ninety9) January 7, 2023
A T20 batting masterclass from SKY👏
Loved watching every minute of it even though it was against SL.
World’s best by far!🙌#INDvSL
Agreed 🤯 pic.twitter.com/1r2Uiwg6ig
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) January 7, 2023
𝓢𝓮𝓷𝓼𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓢𝓾𝓻𝔂𝓪 👏👏
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 7, 2023
3⃣rd T20I ton for @surya_14kumar & what an outstanding knock this has been 🧨 🧨#INDvSL @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/kM1CEmqw3A
5 - @surya_14kumar has become the fifth batter to register three or more tons in men's T20Is (Rohit Sharma - 4, Glenn Maxwell - 3, Colin Munro - 3 & Sabawoon Davizi - 3). Fire.#INDvSL pic.twitter.com/xJpGRkD7u3
— OptaJeev (@OptaJeev) January 7, 2023
Not many people have batted as well as this in their dreams. #SuryakumarYadav
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 7, 2023
Players with more than 1 hundred and 40+ average and 175+ Strike-Rate in T20Is:
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) January 7, 2023
Suryakumar Yadav
[END OF LIST]#INDvSL #INDvsSL #SLvsIND #SLvIND
It's like SKY has an algorithm in his head that tells him the most optimal shot to play at every ball, with the co-ordinates of the gaps in the field. This is some superhuman peak.
— Manya (@CSKian716) January 7, 2023
Just SKY things.. pic.twitter.com/TyR79AOqkK
— Kanav Bali🏏 (@Concussion__Sub) January 7, 2023
Let it be spin or pace . . @surya_14kumar is an ace ♠️#SuryakumarYadav #SLvsIND
— Nooshin AL Khadeer (@NooshinKhadeer) January 7, 2023
SKY BRO ULTIMATE GAME
— mon (@4sacinom) January 7, 2023
Among all T20I batters with at least 1,000 runs, Suryakumar Yadav's average (46.41) is the fourth-best, and his strike rate (180.34) is the only one above 160. He's so, so far ahead of the rest
— Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) January 7, 2023
Unbelievable batting & Shot Selection from sky, making yet another 100 in a T20 match look so easy - Lost for words 🤯🔥 #INDvSL #Sky
— Amanda Wellington (@amandajadew) January 7, 2023
Just a normal day in the life of SKY 😂#INDvSL pic.twitter.com/1mecycZuRY
— 12th Khiladi (@12th_khiladi) January 7, 2023
Suryakumar Yadav reaches 1500 T20I runs in just 843 balls, the fastest of all players.
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) January 7, 2023
Sky making batting look easy 😬 #INDvSL
— Amanda Wellington (@amandajadew) January 7, 2023
#INDvSL
— Samreen (@SamreenRazz) January 7, 2023
The audacity to say that not all shots are predetermined and then saying that he is not specifically trying to do anything different... all in the same breath.
SKY, you mad man 🤣
43 average at 178 strike-rate while making nearly 1500 runs in T20Is is absolutely ridiculous.
— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) January 7, 2023
SKY is truly magic.#INDvSL
Some batters are like surgeons, delicately threading the gaps. Others are like butchers, bludgeoning the ball out of the ground. Surya Kumar Yadav is seemingly both.
— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) January 7, 2023
What a player, what an innings!
🕸️- You may think this is a spider's web, but it's actually Surya's wagon wheel 😏#OneFamily #INDvSL
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) January 7, 2023
Do another "video game innings by SKY" tweet @imVkohli.
— Manya (@CSKian716) January 7, 2023
The confidence Surya has in any shot is unbelievable... How good to watch this guy bat.. To be this consistent in this format is ridiculous... And to do that consistently at such strike rate freak
— arfan (@Im__Arfan) January 7, 2023
A lot of Surya's success in T20s right now is down to his brilliant wrists.
— Gurkirat Singh Gill (@gurkiratsgill) January 7, 2023
Not only is he able to manouver shots at the very last moment, he's also able to get enough power behind them!
After facing 860 balls in his T20Is career, SKY hits a six every 9.5 balls. Just amazing!#INDvSL
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) January 7, 2023
That a ball can be sliced over deep third/backward point for a mighty SIX wasn't something i thought possible growing up. Suryakumar Yadav is defying all possibilities, imaginations! #INDvSL
— S. Sudarshanan (@Sudarshanan7) January 7, 2023
Looks like Surya is playing a video game 🎮 Live game looks like highlights when he's batting
— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) January 7, 2023
ROFB!
— Asli BCCI Women (@AsliBCCIWomen) January 7, 2023
Rolling in the Floor Batting#CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/kRloHXMDnO
Statistics in the article for men’s T20Is unless specifically mentioned.