Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav, born on 14 September 1990, is an Indian international cricketer known for his role as a right-handed middle-order batter and occasional right-arm off-break bowler. Representing the Indian cricket team and Mumbai in domestic first-class cricket, Suryakumar was a crucial member of the Indian squad that reached the finals of the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup. Furthermore, he is a key player for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

His journey in cricket began in 2009 when he started playing club cricket in Mumbai before earning selection for the Mumbai cricket team. Suryakumar made his List A debut for Mumbai in February 2010, followed by his first-class and T20 debuts later that year. His international career took off in March 2021 with his T20I debut for India, and he subsequently made his ODI debut in July. While predominantly featuring in limited-overs cricket for India, he also played a lone test match in February 2023.

As of December 2023, Suryakumar has amassed 2141 runs in 60 T20I matches, boasting an impressive average of over 45, making him the top-ranked batter in the ICC men's player rankings. Notably, he is one of only three batters to have scored four centuries in T20Is. He has also showcased leadership qualities, captaining Mumbai in domestic cricket and serving as the Indian captain for seven T20Is in 2023.

In the IPL, Suryakumar initially played for the Mumbai Indians in the 2012 season, featuring in just one match. Subsequently, he was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 2014 IPL auction, where he contributed significantly to their title win in the same year. Returning to the Mumbai Indians in the 2018 IPL auction for ₹3.2 crore (US$400,000), he emerged as a prolific run-scorer, amassing over 1400 runs across three seasons and winning the title in 2019 and 2020. Retained by Mumbai ahead of the 2022 auction for ₹8 crore (US$1.0 million), Suryakumar faced an injury setback but returned to score 303 runs in eight matches. In the 2023 season, he was appointed as the vice-captain of the side and enjoyed a stellar campaign with the bat, accumulating 605 runs in 16 matches, including his maiden IPL century against the Gujarat Titans on 12 May 2023.