"Hitting a century in T20 is almost like climbing Mt Everest" - Aakash Chopra lauds Suryakumar Yadav's knock in 3rd India vs England T20I

Aakash Chopra has pointed out that Suryakumar Yadav scoring a century while batting at the No. 4 position in the third T20I against England was akin to climbing Mount Everest.

Yadav scored a belligerent 117 runs off just 55 balls in the final game of the three-match series on Sunday, July 10. His knock, however, went in vain as Team India lost the match by 17 runs while chasing a 216-run target.

While reviewing the third T20I in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra termed Yadav's century as a huge accomplishment, saying:

"Suryakumar Yadav struck a century. Hitting a century in T20 is almost like climbing Mt Everest. It did not come of use for India, in the sense that you did not win the match, although in my opinion any international run you score or wicket you take, it does not go waste."

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the Mumbai batter proved his prowess once again after coming back from an injury layoff. He said:

"Suryakumar had come after being bothered slightly with injuries, got an opportunity to play here, his last two-three matches were not that good, he has once again proved and stamped his authority."

Yadav missed the T20I series against South Africa at home due to an injury he suffered during IPL 2022. He did not have a great time in the T20I series against Ireland and gave middling performances in the first two games against England as well. However, he was at the top of his game on Sunday.

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"The Player of the Match has to be Suryakumar Yadav" - Aakash Chopra

Suryakumar Yadav became the fifth Indian to score a century in T20I cricket

Aakash Chopra also picked Suryakumar Yadav as his Player of the Match, reasoning:

"The Player of the Match has to be Suryakumar Yadav for a simple reason that to score a century in T20 cricket when you are neither an opener nor you are at No. 3, you get a chance to bat at No. 4 and there you hit a century."

The 44-year-old concluded by saying that no praise is enough for Yadav. He explained:

"You were chasing a total of more than 200, agree it is a difficult job, your top three don't score runs, you feel the team is getting stuck, and then Shreyas, Dinesh Karthik and Jaddu (Jadeja) also get out. You just keep going till it became a bit too much. However much I praise him, it is less."

Yadav's blazing knock was studded with 14 fours and six sixes. His 119-run fourth-wicket partnership with Shreyas Iyer raised hopes of an Indian win, but it turned out to be a bridge too far in the end.