3 IPL knocks that helped Suryakumar Yadav shine

Team India's Suryakumar Yadav rose to second spot in the latest ICC T20I rankings for batters on Wednesday (August 3), closing the gap with top-ranked Babar Azam.

Still fairly new to international cricket, Suryakumar already has six 50-plus scores under his belt in 20 T20I innings. Three of those have come batting at No. 3, two at No.4, and his last half-century came while opening the innings alongside skipper Rohit Sharma in the ongoing series against the West Indies.

The Mumbai cricketer makes batting look extremely easy, hitting the bowlers all around the park, while also adding new shots to his arsenal.

Meanwhile, it was in the Indian Premier League (IPL) where the Mumbai-born batter showcased his potential and made the world sit and recognize his talent. Playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Mumbai Indians (MI), Suryakumar has played several memorable knocks.

He is an integral part of the Mumbai franchise and has been one of their most consistent performers in recent years.

On that note, let's take a look at the three IPL knocks that helped Suryakumar shine.

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#1 79*(43) RCB vs MI (IPL 2020)

In a high-octane battle between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Mumbai Indians, Suryakumar produced one of his best IPL knocks.

Chasing 165, Quinton de Kock and Ishan Kishan gave Mumbai a bright start. The Proteas wicketkeeper-batter, however, was dismissed after scoring 37. In walked Suryakumar, who took the game away from the opposition.

Despite being intimidated by Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli, the Mumbai batter kept his nerves and focused on the job at hand. On a slowish wicket in Abu Dhabi, Suryakumar looked like he belonged to that place. He struck 10 boundaries and three sixes for his unbeaten 79 off just 43 deliveries to take MI home with five wickets in hand.

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#2 82 (40) MI vs SRH (IPL 2021)

Suryakumar Yadav registered his highest IPL score against the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the 2021 edition. He scored 82 off just 40 deliveries against a star-studded Hyderabad bowling attack.

Mumbai had to win the match by a huge margin to make it to the playoffs. Kishan got MI off to a blistering start, hitting 84 off just 32 balls. With the platform set for a clinical finish, Suryakumar walked in at No. 5.

The right-handed batter took the SRH attack by storm and dispatched everything that was in his arc. He smashed 13 boundaries and three sixes to guide Mumbai to 235 in their stipulated 20 overs. Mumbai did win the game, but it wasn't enough to qualify for the playoffs.

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#3 79 off 47 MI vs RR (IPL 2020)

Suryakumar produced another fine knock when he tore apart the Rajasthan Royals (RR) bowling attack during the 2020 edition of the cash-rich league.

Opting to bat first, the Mumbai Indians got off to a flyer as Rohit and De Kock bludgeoned the Royals' bowling attack. However, they lost a few wickets in the middle, which brought Suryakumar and Hardik Pandya in the middle.

Their smashing batting helped the team post a mammoth total of 193 as MI scored 19 runs in the 18th over and 17 in the final over. Suryakumar top-scored for Mumbai with 79, with his knock studded with 11 boundaries and two sixes.

In response, Jos Buttler scored a quickfire 70, but it wasn't enough to take the Royals home.