With Rohit Sharma out for an indefinite period of time, Mumbai Indians needed one of their top order batsmen to put their hand up against the Royal Challengers Bangalore on Wednesday.

In-form Quinton de Kock and Ishan Kishan were dismissed early but Suryakumar Yadav – just days after being snubbed by the India selectors for the tour of Australia – played an innings of rare class to take his side home.

His innings 79 off just 43 balls impressed all those watching with the composure on display and the sheer audacity of the strokeplay.

Winning skipper Kieron Pollard lauded Suryakumar’s knock in a post-match chat.

“Time and time again, no matter the situation, he (Surya) continues to show the class of a player he is,” said Pollard. “He must be very, very disappointed not to don the blue as yet for India but I think he is very, very close.”

Pollard added: “As a spectator I am looking from the outside, he has done some amazing things for us in this franchise and the most he can do is continue to make the bat talk and score runs for us and, hopefully, that takes us all the way.”

Here’s how Twitter reacted to his special knock: