SKY tsunami: Suryakumar Yadav rocks South Africa, joins Rohit and Maxwell in special club with record-equalling century
Suryakumar Yadav smashed his fourth T20I century as the India batter joined Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell in an elite list.
Extending his free-scoring run in the third and final T20I of the South Africa series, superstar Suryakumar Yadav played another captain's knock to rewrite history in the shortest format of the game on Thursday. Roped in as leader of the Indian side in the absence of all-format skipper Rohit Sharma and all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar smashed his first century as captain and fourth overall in the shortest format.
A SKY special powered Team India to a gigantic total in the series decider at the New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. Fresh from becoming the joint-fastest Indian batter to 2,000 runs in the shortest format, Suryakumar reached new heights in T20Is by registering his fourth century. The premier batter has joined India's all-format skipper Rohit Sharma and Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell in an exclusive list. Only Rohit, Maxwell and Suryakumar have scored four centuries each.
A day after Suryakumar was rewarded by the ICC for his stellar show and extended his lead at the top of the rankings for T20I batters, Surya went berserk at the Wanderers. He was in breathtaking form smashing 7 fours and 8 sixes, enroute to reaching his century off just 55 balls. He was eventually dismissed the very next ball, but ended the year with 733 runs from 18 matches – the second-highest run-getter of the year – at an average of 48.86 and strike-rate of 155.95. This includes five fifties and two centuries. With this, Suryakumar Yada become the only Indian batter to score four centuries in all four different Test-playing nations – England, New Zealand, India and South Africa.
Also Read: India vs South Africa Live score 3rd T20: SKY century, Jaiswal 60 takes IND to 201/7 in 20 overs
Suryakumar in special company with Rohit and Maxwell
Interestingly, Suryakumar has achieved the special feat of scoring four centuries in 57 T20I innings. Veteran opener Rohit notched up four tons for Team India in 79 T20I innings while Maxwell brought up his fourth hundred in his 92nd appearance for the former world champions. Suryakumar completed his 4th century in the 19th over when the India skipper completed a quick double off Lizaad Williams. For Suryakumar, this was the slowest of all centuries in T20Is.
SKY teams up with young Jaiswal in series decider
Suryakumar batted at a strike rate of 178.57 in the series decider between India and South Africa. The 33-year-old smoked eight sixes and seven fours in his record-equalling century against the Proteas at the New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. Suryakumar was assisted by opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who played the role of an aggressor in the 3rd T20I. Putting up a show for the visitors, skipper Suryakumar and opener Jaiswal added 112 runs for the third-wicket in the 3rd T20I. Jaiswal's 60-run knock followed by a quick-fire century from captain Suryakumar propelled Team India to 201-7 in 20 overs.
What more records did Suryakumar achieve with 4th T20I century?
Only Suryakumar (4) and Maxwell (3) have scored the most tons while batting at No.3 or below in T20Is. Suryakumar has hit 123 sixes - the second-most by an Indian batter in T20I cricket. He is only behind Rohit, who has smoked 182 maximums in the shortest format. Only Suryakumar and Rohit have scored T20I centuries as captain for India. Top-ranked batter Suryakumar has 15 50-plus scores - the most by a batter from the No.4 or below position in T20Is.
