AUS vs IND: Suryakumar Yadav joins Rohit Sharma in an elite club during 1st T20I against Australia

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The Indian middle-order powerhouse, Suryakumar Yadav, continued his blistering form and devastating six-hitting ability during the first T20I of the five-match series against Australia in Canberra. This performance saw the aggressive batter reach an extraordinary landmark, joining an extremely exclusive club of players who have consistently cleared the ropes in the shortest format of the game. His sensational display showcased his importance to the team as they finalize preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Suryakumar’s explosive innings provided a clear indicator of his immense power and ability to dominate any bowling attack.

During his blistering knock in the first T20I against Australia, Suryakumar reached the prestigious milestone of hitting 150 or more sixes in T20 Internationals, a feat achieved by only a handful of cricketers globally. He joins his captain, Rohit Sharma (205 sixes in 111 innings), who leads the all-time list, as the only Indians to cross this explosive landmark.

The specific six that propelled Suryakumar into the exclusive club of T20I hitters, reaching the landmark of 150 maximums, occurred in the 9.3 over of the first T20I between India and Australia. The bowler was Australian pacer Nathan Ellis, and the delivery was a deceptive slower ball, a tactic often used by pacemen in the shortest format to disrupt a batters’ timing. However, Suryakumar’s exceptional T20 intelligence shone through as he picked it slower ball as he know it was back of the hand so spotted that and delayed the shot. By recognizing the change-up early, he was able to execute a delayed shot, waiting for the ball to arrive before unleashing his power. The result was a stunning six that was

What makes Suryakumar’s achievement particularly remarkable is his incredible pace; he is the second-fastest player in history to reach 150 T20I sixes. Only UAE‘s Muhammad Waseem (187 sixes overall) achieved the milestone faster, taking just 66 innings and 1,543 balls. Suryakumar accomplished the feat in 86 innings and 1,649 balls, putting him ahead of power-hitters like Martin Guptill (173 sixes) and Jos Buttler (172 sixes) in terms of speed to the mark. This statistic firmly cements the 35-year-old’s position as one of the most destructive and efficient batter in the world in the T20 format.

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The first T20I between Australia and India in Canberra, which saw Australia elect to field first, has been interrupted and delayed multiple times by rain, with the match eventually reduced to 18 overs per side. Despite the stoppages, India’s batting lineup managed a strong start, reaching 97 runs for the loss of just one wicket after 9.4 overs, maintaining a highly aggressive Current Run Rate of 10.03.

Openers Abhishek Sharma (19 off 14) and Shubman Gill provided a quick start, though Sharma was the sole wicket to fall, caught by Tim David off Ellis in the 3.5 over. Since then, Gill and captain Suryakumar have built a rapid second-wicket partnership, scoring 50 runs in just 32 balls. The last five overs before the second rain delay were particularly fruitful for India, yielding 55 runs at an 11.00 run rate. At the time of the second interruption, Gill was anchoring the innings with 37 not out off 20 balls, while Suryakumar was accelerating aggressively with 39 not out off 24 balls, hitting 3 fours and 2 sixes.

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