The SKY Suryakumar Yadav made Indian cricket history on Sunday with a game-winning knock against Zimbabwe. SKY hit 61 off 25 balls late in the innings, putting the Zimbabwe bowlers to the sword and boosting India from a chase-able mark to 186/5, which proved beyond their opponents’ reach.
With his half-century, SKY surpassed 1000 runs in T20 Internationals in 2022
The 32-year-old is the first Indian and just the second player in history to accomplish the milestone, following in the footsteps of Pakistan opener Mohammad Rizwan, who finished with 1326 runs last year. Yadav’s accomplishment is even more remarkable given that he set his record run return while batting at number four the majority of the time, significantly reducing the number of deliveries faced. Rizwan’s massive haul last year came from 983 balls, but SKY’s total came from only 550.
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That is the most notable difference between Yadav and many of the other top T20I run scorers – SKY has amassed a sizable quantity of runs at a breakneck rate. SKY has scored 1026 runs in 2022, with an average of 44.60 and a strike rate of 186.54.
Averaging more than 40 in T20Is is already world-class. Hitting with a strike rate of more than 180 is likewise considered world-class. Combining the two is groundbreaking; SKY‘s hitting prowess is revolutionizing the game right in front of our eyes. That point was brought home against Zimbabwe, when Yadav flicked a full ball from far outside his off stump over his shoulder and away for six at fine leg, leading the commentator to shout, “You can’t do that!” Wow!
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The innings was slow, and it took him to break it, it took him to get the innings going, and he’s kept going.”
The key behind SKY?
Yadav’s late entry on the international scene has contributed to his success, with years of IPL experience allowing him to develop his game away from the even greater limelight that the national team provides. What distinguishes Yadav from the others is his blend of traditional batting ability and a remarkable 360-degree range of strokes in his arsenal. These two skills, together with his exceptional awareness of how to control an inning, make him genuinely unique.