Having made his T20I debut at the age of 30, few would have imagined Suryakumar Yadav building a stellar career and making a mockery of the opponent’s bowlers. Surya had all the talent to make a mark at the international level, but he had to endure a long wait.
However, it was all worth it, as it made him more hungry to slam huge knocks in T20Is while donning the blue jersey. And Surya’s penchant for scoring big knocks is evident from the remarkable centuries he has hammered.
Here, you can check out the list of Suryakumar Yadav’s T20I centuries.
1. 117 (55) vs England | Nottingham, 2022
Suryakumar Yadav didn’t wait too long to bring up his maiden T20I century. Batting in his 17th T20I innings, the Mumbai batter smashed a lone warrior 117-run knock against England in July 2022.
India were put in to chase 216 runs by England, and they were in trouble at 13 for 2. Then Surya walked in and took the mantle in his hand.
Another wicket fell, but then the Nottingham crowd witnessed Surya’s audacious stroke play. He launched the ball in all parts of the ground, racking up 14 fours and 6 sixes.
The right-hand batter stitched a crucial 119-run partnership with Shreyas Iyer for the 4th wicket, keeping India afloat in the contest. However, Surya couldn’t take India over the ropes as he fell to Moeen Ali in the 19th over, scoring 117 runs off 55 balls at a mind-blowing strike rate of 212.72.
2. 111* (51) vs New Zealand | Mount Maunganui, 2022
4 months after his maiden century, Suryakumar unleashed another dazzling knock against New Zealand in November 2022.
India were up against New Zealand in the 2nd T20I of the series. After the first match was a washout, it was a must-win game for both sides to take the lead.
The Kiwis asked India to bat first and kept the visitors under check in the powerplay, getting a wicket on 36. Surya strode onto the crease at No. 3 and batted as if playing a videogame, destroying the Kiwis’ bowling attack for fun.
SKY reached his fifty in 32 balls and raced away to his 2nd T20I century in the next 17 deliveries. Once he completed his innings, the crowd witnessed a mad acceleration from him, especially in the 19th over where Surya crammed 22 runs.
He remained unbeaten on 111 off 51, laced with 11 fours and 7 sixes. Eventually, India won the match by 65 runs, and Surya won the Player of the Match award.
3. 112* (51) vs Sri Lanka | Rajkot, 2023
After leaving the overseas crowd in awe of his ridiculous hitting, it was time to delight the home fans. India were hosting Sri Lanka for a 3-match T20I series, and it was poised 1-1 going into the decider.
India opted to bat first, but they were 2 down on 52 with 1 ball to spare in the powerplay. Surya Dada made his way to the crease and got going without wasting too many balls.
He hung there in the middle and powered India to a challenging total of 228 runs. In the process, Surya hammered the second-fastest T20I century by an Indian batter, taking 45 balls to raise his 100.
He finished India’s innings with a four and remained not out on 112 off 51 balls, striking close to 220.
4. 100 off 56 vs South Africa | Johannesburg, 2023
Suryakumar Yadav rounded off a remarkable 2023 with his 4th T20I hundred in South Africa. India were playing against host South Africa in the 3rd and last T20I of the series, with the hosts having a 1-0 lead.
This time, Surya wasn’t just playing as a batter but was leading the Indian team in the absence of a regular skipper. The responsibility had doubled, but he carried it with much finesse.
After being put in to bat first, India lost 2 quick wickets on 29, leaving them in a tricky situation in the 3rd over. Then captain Surya stepped up and pulled India out of the blockhole.
He was at his usual, showcasing his superpower to dispatch the ball into all parts of the Wanderers Stadium. SKY built an important 112-run partnership with young Yashasvi Jaiswal for the 3rd wicket.
That partnership and his herculean knock paved the way for India to post 201 runs on the board. Surya reached 100 off 55 balls before he fell in the last over, smashing 7 fours and 8 sixes.
