With an Extraordinary game sense and unflappable focus, today’s story is about India’s new No. 4 Batsman – Suryakumar Yadav. Unconventional, fearless, and India’s very own 360-degree player has had a unique journey from playing on Mumbai’s streets to becoming a dependable Indian batsman.
Amidst great speculation, Suryakumar Yadav is often referred to as ‘SKY’, which are the initials of his name. Indian fans feasted on what could have been one of the best match-winning knocks in T20 international history.
Suryakumar Yadav’s blazing 55-ball 117 earned him praise and recognition from cricket experts. In the midst of what appears to be a dream international career, things started gloomy for ‘SKY’.
Suryakumar Yadav – First Innings…
Suryakumar Yadav was born into a middle-class family. His father Ashok Kumar Yadav is an electrical engineer hailing from Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, who moved to Mumbai to work at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.
Surya’s father noticed his son’s interest in sports at an early age. When Surya was 12, Ashok was informed that Yadav had enough capability and this made him enrol Surya in the Dilip Vengsarkar Academy. Suryakumar was raised there under the expert tutelage of Dilip Balwani Vengsarkar. Having played both badminton and cricket, his father advised him to choose one sport of interest before admitting him to a cricket academy.
Brawls, Spews And Sky…
Suryakumar Yadav made his List-A debut against Gujarat in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He impressed everyone, and as a reward, he then quickly made his T20 debut for Mumbai against Hyderabad in the SMAT (Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy). In 2010, he was called up for first-class cricket against Delhi. Suryakumar Yadav was in such good form that he was named captain of Mumbai.
For those who have followed his ten-year domestic journey, it was a return to the promise he displayed for Mumbai in the 2011-12 Ranji Trophy season. He was on the verge of making an international debut when his batting performances were overshadowed by controversy.
Suryakumar Yadav’s fitness issues caused his coaches headaches, and there were also complaints about his “hot-headed” personality. He was allegedly involved in an on-field altercation with teammate Shardul Thakur in 2014. When Yadav was stripped of Mumbai’s captaincy across all formats, there were reports of brawls and indiscipline. Before takeoff, the potential star appeared to be fading.
“SKY Is The Limit”
In 2012, the Mumbai Indians scouted and signed him during his early form. Suryakumar’s full potential, however, was never realized, and he struggled to find playing time. After a long stint on the bench, he was eventually moved from Mumbai Indians to Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2014 IPL auctions, and everything changed from there. Yadav was gradually but steadily living up to the trust bestowed upon him by his new franchise.
His eating habits shifted, he bulked up to improve his power-hitting abilities, and he spent countless hours in the nets.
“He was distracted, demoralized,” said coach Chandrakant Pandit.
Yadav scored 182 in a club match as a 21-year-old under his regime.
“It was a phase, but how someone deals with it defines them.”
He acknowledged the issues and worked to resolve them.
“He deserves it.” said Suryakumar Yadav’s coach
He made a front-page appearance in 2015 for his lightning-fast runs. Based on his performance, the Mumbai Indians franchise brought him back to the Wankhede in the 2018 IPL auctions.
Suryakumar Yadav led the Mumbai Indians to victory in the tournament that year, scoring 512 runs. Yadav continued his reign with successful campaigns in the future years. He scored 424 runs for the team and was instrumental in Mumbai’s record-breaking fourth IPL title win.
Announced Himself To The World
Since Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina left the national team, there has been a void in the No.4 place that hasn’t been filled for a long time. With his grace and elegance, ‘SKY’ fills that need.
Despite the fact that Surya had to wait for his first call-up to the Indian Cricket squad. He persisted and excelled in domestic cricket, earning him a chance to make his debut against England in the second T20. However, he did not bat in his maiden encounter and was instead sent to warm the bench.
The 30-year-old got the opportunity in the 4th T20 International, Surya announced himself as he smashed a first-ball six to Jofra Archer. The right-hander played a ramp shot, which made the entire squad stunned and the cricketing world couldn’t resist lauding his aggressive instincts.
This wasn’t it, Surya played strokes all around the ground to make a fine 31-ball 57. With the continuous enthralling performance, his spot in the upcoming T20 world cup is said to be fixed.
Mad4India wishes Suryakumar Yadav all the best to go forth and conquer glories.
To know more about Suryakumar Yadav follow him on – Instagram and Twitter
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