SKY speeds past Kohli in incredible India milestone against South Africa

Suryakumar Yadav's stocks in T20I continue to rise as the India captain on Tuesday added another feather in his cap. Suryakumar, riding high on the success of India's T20I series win against Australia, started off the SA tour on a fine note as he became the quickest Indian to complete 2000 runs in T20Is. Playing his 56th innings in T20Is, Surya, who was 15 runs shy of milestone, got to the landmark with a single.

The feat places Surya level-pegging with Virat Kohli in terms of innings, but one quicker than the former India captain as far as the number of matches played is concerned. SKY is playing his 59th T20I game for India, while Kohli, who completed 2K runs against England, needed a game extra (60) while batting against England in Manchester, 2010.

Suryakumar became the No. 1-ranked T20I batter in October 2022, and has held on to the position ever since. Finishing the previous year with 1164 runs in 31 matches, Surya kept his gun form going in 2023 as well, having already scored 592 runs from 17 matches at an average of 45.53 and strike rate of over 153, including one century and four fifties.

After rain washed out the opening T20I without a ball bowled, Surya led from the front after India were put to bat in the second game of the series. After Marco Jansen and Lizaad Williams sent India openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill packing for ducks, SKY blazed away to a 28-ball fifty. With India struggling at 6/2 after 2 overs, Surya and Tilak Varma teed off.

After Tilak took 19 off Jansen's second over, it was Surya's turn to get off the blocks. With two fours and a trademark lap shot for six, SKY took 15 off Gerald Coetzee's opening over and did not stop. Three fours and another six later, Surya brought up his fifty inside 11 overs with India soaring past100. Suryakumar's innings came to an end on 56 when he chipped Tabraiz Shami to long off.