Suryakumar Yadav becomes second Indian with this record in T20s
Indian batter Suryakumar Yadav continues his impressive run in the shortest format. The dasher whacked a 45-ball 61 as India scored 165/9 in the 5th and series-deciding T20I against West Indies at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground, Lauderhill. Suryakumar was India's only half-centurion as the visitors faced a defeat. He became the second Indian with 1,000 T20 runs in consecutive years.
Why does this story matter?
Suryakumar's art of playing the field stands out. He has all the strokes one can find in the books, rather he manufactures his esoteric versions. SKY and his stroke-making grabbed eyeballs in 2022 as he finished the season with over 1,000 T20 runs. Although his ODI form remains questionable, Suryakumar has once again touched the 1,000-run mark in T20s this year.
SKY joins KL Rahul in this club
During the 5th T20I against West Indies, Suryakumar completed 1,000 T20 runs in 2023. He became the sixth player and second Indian to touch this mark this year. As per Kausthub Gudipati, SKY is only the second Indian to score 1,000 T20 runs in consecutive years (2022 and 2023). KL Rahul was the first Indian to do so (2019 and 2020).
SKY's T20 stats in 2022 and 2023
Suryakumar was on fire in the T20 circuit in 2022. He finished with 1,503 runs, while his strike rate of 175.99 was a talking point (two tons and 12 half-centuries). SKY followed it up with another season of 1,000-plus runs. With 1,038 runs at 47.18, he is only behind Jos Buttler, Shubman Gill, Faf du Plessis, Mohammad Rizwan, and James Vince (T20 runs).
Breakdown of IPL and T20I stats
Suryakumar smashed 303 runs from eight Indian Premier League (IPL) games at 43.29 in 2022. On the other hand, more than 600 of SKY's 1,038 T20 runs this year have come in the IPL. SKY slammed 605 runs in IPL 2023 at a strike rate of 181.14. He remains the only player with over 400 runs in T20Is this year (433 at 54.12).
Only Indian with over 1,000 T20I runs in a year
Suryakumar has been ruling the format since his debut in March 2021. He boasts 1,780 runs in 51 T20Is at 45.64, striking at 174.33. The tally includes three centuries and 15 fifties. Last year, SKY became the first Indian cricketer to slam over 1,000 T20I runs in a calendar year. He finished with 1,164 runs in 2022, striking at 187.43.
The incredible strike rate of Suryakumar
Suryakumar now has 18 fifty-plus scores in T20I cricket. His strike rates in each of these innings read as (starting from his first) - 183.8, 147.06, 155, 209.6, 212.7, 172.7, 261.5, 191.6, 151.5, 277.2, 204, 170, 244, 217.6, 141.66, 219.60, 188.64, and 135.55. Suryakumar has an overall strike rate of 172.70 in T20I cricket, the highest by any batter in the format.
