Suryakumar Yadav

Mr. 360, Suryakumar Yadav, is an entertaining middle-order batter who has been a vital cog in India’s T20I setup, Mumbai’s domestic team and Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. 

Suryakumar Yadav, aka SKY, was mentored by his coach HS Kamath. He then joined the Elf Vengsarkar Academy and was guided by the former Indian cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar.

Suryakumar eventually made his first-class debut against Delhi in the 2010-11 Ranji season and top-scored for Mumbai with 73 runs. The next season, he topped the batting charts for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy with 754 runs from nine matches. This tally also included a terrific double hundred against Odisha. If that wasn’t enough, he made a huge 134-run knock against East Zone in the Duleep Trophy.

After a great start to domestic cricket, Suryakumar suffered a failure for the first time as he made only 58 runs in four matches in the next Ranji season. He was back at somewhere around his best with 529 runs in the 2013-14 Ranji season. 

Since then, there has been no looking back as Surya has established himself as one of the top players in the domestic circuit.

The Mumbaikar’s impact can be best noticed through the performances in Mumbai’s triumphs in the bygone years. When Mumbai lifted the Ranji Trophy title in 2015-16, he scored 788 runs from 11 matches, while the 2018-19 Vijay Hazare Trophy saw him come up with 241 runs from six innings. Even though Mumbai fell at the final hurdle in the 2016-17 Ranji season, Suryakumar did well with 715 runs from 11 matches.

Despite grinding in domestic cricket, it was only through the IPL that SKY shot to fame. Although Mumbai Indians had Suryakumar in their books during 2011-13, he only played one game during that period. 

Ahead of the 2014 IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders acquired him for INR 70 lakh, and it turned out to be the game-changer for him. Overall, the next four seasons, SKY excelled in the role of a finisher by scoring 608 runs in 54 matches. He made a name for himself by playing some unbelievable wristy flicks in the behind ‘V’. 

His innovative shots also had a lot of eye-catching scoops– later touted as the Supla shot– which often upset the plans of the opposition captains and bowlers. 

However, a return to MI ahead of the 2018 IPL season for a sum of INR 3.2 Crores brought out the best in Suryakumar as the franchise played him generally at number 3 or 4. The statistics also improved as he scored 512 runs from 14 matches in the 2018 IPL before making 424 runs from 16 matches in a title-winning 2019 season. 

The subsequent IPL season in 2020 proved to be defining for the dynamic right-handed batter. He amassed 480 runs at an average of 40, a strike rate of 145+, with 4 half-centuries to his name. And, Mumbai Indians went on to lift their 5th IPL title to become only the second team to secure wins in consecutive seasons.

Calls for Suryakumar’s maiden India cap resonated across the country and beyond after impressive performances season after season. His stare-off against the then-Indian captain, Virat Kohli, during a game against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the same season caused a lot of uproar within the cricketing fraternity. 

Selectors eventually picked Suryakumar Yadav for the England white-ball series in early 2021. He started his international career with his trademark flick shot behind square off Jofra Archer.

The Mumbai batter changed the landscape of T20 cricket since making his international debut. Head and Shoulders above the rest.

The Mumbaikar scored 239 runs in 6 games in the 2022 T20 World Cup– the third most in the tournament. His knock against South Africa, on an unplayable surface at Perth, being the highlight of the tournament, along with fireworks against the Netherlands.

While SKY aced the T20 game, his struggles became evident in the longer formats. He made his Test debut in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023, scoring only 8 runs in one innings he got to play in the series. Then, he recorded three consecutive golden ducks in the ODI series versus the Aussies.

Despite his struggle in ODI cricket, the team continued to back him and even selected him for the 2023 World Cup, where he failed again, scoring just 106 runs in seven innings at an average of 17.67.

With seniors either resting or injured, Suryakumar led the side in the T20I series against Australia and South Africa, immediately following the World Cup. Team India came out victorious in both these assignments and the stand-in skipper even blasted a ton in the final match versus the Proteas.

He injured his ankle in the T20I series against South Africa. He was also diagnosed with a sports hernia, for which he underwent surgery in Germany in January 2024.

Meanwhile, he became the T20I cricketer of the year for 2023 for the second time in a row as his heroics continued in the shortest format of the game.

Suryakumar’s 2024 IPL season was a masterclass in resilience, much like a phoenix rising from the ashes. Sidelined in the early part of the tournament due to fitness concerns, he returned with a vengeance, wielding his bat like a sword, cutting through opposition attacks with effortless ease. Across 11 matches, he amassed 345 runs at a staggering strike rate of 167.47, his innings often resembling a fireworks display—brief, breathtaking, and capable of turning the tide in an instant.

One of his most dazzling performances came against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium, where he orchestrated a run-chase with the precision of a symphony conductor. Walking in at a precarious 31/3, he played with sublime touch, crafting an unbeaten 102 off 51 balls. Every stroke was a brushstroke on a masterpiece, as he carved 12 fours and launched six sixes into the night sky. His unbroken 143-run stand with Tilak Varma was not just a partnership; it was a statement—a testament to his ability to anchor an innings while igniting fireworks simultaneously.

His achievements in the season further cemented his legacy. He became only the second MI player after Rohit Sharma to score multiple IPL centuries, surpassing legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya. Like a sculptor chiselling his name in stone, he etched his place among the greats. The season also saw him surpass 7,000 T20 runs and cross 3,500 in the IPL, milestones that showcased his consistency and longevity in the game.

His good form was enough for the selectors to pick him for the T20 World Cup 2024. Across eight innings, he accumulated 199 runs at an average of 28.42 and a strike rate of 135.37. While his numbers may not have been the highest in the tournament, his ability to deliver under pressure made him an invaluable asset to the team. One of his most crucial knocks came against the USA in the group stage, where he anchored the chase with an unbeaten 50*, guiding India to victory in a tricky situation. He followed it up with another important 53-run innings against Afghanistan in the Super 8s, ensuring India maintained their dominance in the tournament. 

Beyond his batting, Suryakumar’s fielding stood out as a game-changer. In the final against South Africa, when the match was hanging in the balance, he pulled off a stunning catch at long-off to dismiss David Miller—arguably the moment that turned the tide in India’s favour.

In October 2024, appointed as India's T20I captain after Rohit Sharma’s retirement in June 2024, his leadership was backed by his consistent availability, prior experience, and strong rapport with teammates. 

Recognizing his consistent performances and invaluable contributions, MI retained the Indian T20I captain ahead of the IPL 2025 for a whopping price tag of INR 16.75 crores- which is as much as the MI skipper Hardik Pandya's price.

(As of April 2025)