Suryakumar Yadav currently holds the first position in the ICC T20I batsman ranking. Currently, he is the backbone of the Indian Cricket Team and probably few will disregard this claim.
He started his domestic career with Mumbai Ranji Team in 2010. Though, it was his performance in the domestic circuit that enabled him to get the opportunity to play for Mumbai Indians in the IPL. But things weren’t all rosy there as despite featuring in the star-studded team Mumbai Indians team, he found limited opportunities to showcase his talent.
And it wasn’t until his second domestic season that he scored 854 runs and with that, soon became the highest run scorer for his team.
He performed continuously in whatever opportunities he got whether in the domestic circuit or with the India-A team.
In 2015, he got the opportunity to represent Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL and he made good use of it.
During his tenure, he was the vice-captain of Kolkata Knight Riders. He played an important finisher role for his team. His performance with KKR helped him to get back to the Mumbai Indians from there onward he emerged the key batsman of his team.
He played a key role in Mumbai Indians’ title win in IPL 2019 & 2020. He played as an opener at # 3and 4 also in all positions he gave his 100%. From 2018 to 2022 he scored 2036 runs in 68 matches.
Many players have gone on to represent the Indian Cricket Team at an International level whose names weren’t quite known by the cricketing fans just because they failed to make use of the opportunities they got.
But gladly Suryakumar Yadav isn’t one of them by. On the contrary, here is an eager batsman who doesn’t hold himself back; of lately, Suryakumar Yadav has performed continuously in the domestic circuit.
SKY’s performances in the IPL 2018 & 2019 editions were remarkable and everyone wanted to see him Indian jersey.
Not that one had a clear idea as to whether he’d have made it.
But it is only after two years that Sky got his maiden Indian team call-up, which happened against England. But it wasn’t a forgettable performance; he played similar to the way he played in IPL.
He converted every opportunity that he got and from his debut, most of the bowlers had feared when they came into bowl to SKY. In his first T20 World Cup, he was unable to score that many runs, but what captivates the intrepid fan is the fact that Suryakumar Yadav can make big hitting look easy.
He makes it an art form.
The way he goes about playing his strokes is simply remakrable. He can play his shots from fine leg, mid-wicket, long on, long off over cover over point. And that range, which is very AB De Villiers, is quite remarkable.
If SKY gets an international call-up in 2018 or 2019 he might be at another level. The way Micheal Hussey put his impact at the international level when he played for Australia, that same way Suryakumar Yadav has put an impact from the very day he debuted.
Though there are several positives, the part that’s the reckoning is that Suryakumar Yadav plays in the same manner in any condition and that likely helps him to consolidate this position.
This isn’t random speak; his timely century in England in July 2022 kept India in the hunt for the T20 series and the recent ton versus Sri Lanka enabled India toe strengthen his position.
The way he scored runs continuously in the domestic circuit or in the IPL, he is scoring at the international level, which is exactly what his team wants. At the same time, his ability to score handsomely and quickly proves his hunger to perform for India whenever he whenever he gets an opportunity.
Make no mistake for he waited for an opportunity to play for India the longest time and probably it’s only fair to state that the chance never came for close to a decade.
Though fortunately today, he’s a part of the team that you’d call integral- would you not?
In his small international career, one that’s growing and glowing in equal measure, Suryakumar Yadav has played 45 T20’s from which he has already cored 1578 runs.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. A strike rate of 180.34 at an average of 46.41 with 13 fifties and 3 centuries go on to prove just why’s he so highly rated.
He’s the coming of the storm that the bowlers simply read. Moreover, here’s the thing to note; Suryakumar Yadav has scored three T20I centuries just behind Rohit Sharma.
Not too long ago he also scored what became the second fastest century for India in T20I cricket. And that’s still not all; in 16 ODI’s, he has accumulated 384 runs with an average of 32.
His backers will certainly hope that Suryakumar Yadav goes on to play a key role in the ICC World Cup 2023; maybe the home advantage will spur him on.
In that regard, here’s something that’s a timely albeit compelling question; together with Pandya, can Sky turn around a corner for a new-looking India?
