Suryakumar Yadav Becomes the batter with most T20I centuries after his 55 ball ton vs South Africa
When Suryakumar Yadav bats like only he does, he looks quite unstoppable. The Wanderers witnessed the 360° show of Suryakumar Yadav during the third T20I when the talismainc captain of Indian cricket team scored a magnificent century in only 55 balls and etched his name in the history books of T20 cricket by becoming the batter with most T20I centuries.
Suryakumar Yadav has now four T20I hundreds to his name and it didn’t take him much time to get these 4 hundreds. Yadav has played only 60 T20I matches for India and he’s already scored over 2100 runs and he averages around 45 with 4 centuries and 14 half centuries. Also his strike rate is quite mind-boggling of 171.
No other batsman boasts as many T20I fifties from No. 4 or lower as Suryakumar. His tally of 15 in just 39 innings stands head and shoulders above the likes of Eoin Morgan (14 in 105 innings) and Glenn Maxwell (11 in 74 innings). This speaks volumes about his consistency and ability to anchor the middle order.
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Though still behind Rohit Sharma’s mammoth 182 maximums in 140 innings, Surya’s 123 sixes in just 57 innings are an evidence of his explosive power and clean hitting. He surpasses established names like Virat Kohli (117 sixes in 107 innings) and KL Rahul (99 sixes in 68 innings) by a significant margin, showcasing his ability to clear the ropes with remarkable consistency.
Suryakumar Yadav’s innings against South Africa in Johannesburg was a masterclass in adaptability and controlled aggression. No reason why it made him the batter with most T20I centuries. He started like a man possessed, carving 18 runs off the first nine balls at a blistering strike rate of 200.
Then came a phase of calculated consolidation, where he slowed down to a strike rate of 85 while adding just 17 runs in the next 20 balls. Finally, with a strong foundation laid, Surya unleashed his fury once again, scoring a whopping 65 runs off the last 26 balls at a staggering strike rate of 250. This late flourish propelled India to a commanding total of 201.
India Beats South Africa at Johannesburg
When it comes to series deciders, India is no different. Batting first at Johannesburg, they knew they had to win the match to level the series, and that’s exactly what they did. After scoring 211 runs in the first inning, they aged out the entire South African batting line-up with amazing fielding, accurate bowling, and clear planning.
Mohammed Siraj’s first over, which made Reeza Hendricks reaching for a ball like a dream, set the tone for the entire innings. It was a maiden over, and from there on, India didn’t look back. They kept putting pressure on the South African batsmen, and one by one, wickets fell.
But the hero for India with the ball in hand was Kuldeep Yadav, who took his career-best T20 figures of 4/25 against South Africa at Johannesburg. It was his birthday, so everything became even sweeter and more special for him. The South African batsmen had no answer to his spinning web.
The only bad news for India was that Surya Kumar Yadav got injured while fielding. His ankle got twisted, and it looked quite scary at first glance. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but it will be interesting to see if he plays the next ODI series, starting from December 2023, between both teams.
