Suryakumar Yadav, India’s dynamic T20I captain, celebrated his 35th birthday on Sunday, and the cricket world joined in with warm wishes. The stylish batter, often called “Sky” for his fearless shots, turned another year wiser, and fans are buzzing about his incredible journey in T20 cricket.
Yuvraj Singh, the former Indian all-rounder and World Cup hero, shared a heartfelt message on his Instagram story. “Sky is the limit for those who believe and make it happen! Have a wonderful birthday @surya14kumar, god bless and bring that trophy home,” Yuvraj wrote, cheering on Suryakumar’s leadership and big dreams.
India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir also chimed in on X (formerly Twitter), posting, “Many many happy returns of the day, Surya. Keep flying high.” Even Suryakumar’s wife, Devisha Shetty, got into the act with a loving note: “My absolute fav human happy happy birthday. Love you now and forever.”
Suryakumar’s rise in Indian cricket is nothing short of inspiring. He made his international debut at 30 against England, smashing a stunning six off Jofra Archer’s very first ball. That fearless start set the tone for his career. Before breaking into the national team, he faced setbacks—released by Kolkata Knight Riders after playing as a lower-order batter from 2014 to 2017. But his hard work paid off with Mumbai Indians, where strong performances earned him the India cap.
In T20Is, Suryakumar shines brightest. He’s racked up 2,605 runs in 80 innings at an average of 38.30 and a blistering strike rate of 167.30. That’s four centuries, 21 fifties, and a best score of 117, making him India’s third-highest run-scorer in the format ever. He’s the joint-fastest with Virat Kohli to reach 2,000 T20I runs, doing it in just 56 innings.
His dominance earned him back-to-back ICC Men’s T20I Player of the Year awards in 2022 and 2023. In 2022 alone, he smashed 1,164 runs in 31 innings at an average of 46.56 and a strike rate of 187.43—two centuries and nine fifties, with a top score of 117. That’s the third-highest tally by any batter in a T20I calendar year.
Suryakumar played a key role in India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, taking that unforgettable catch to dismiss David Miller and seal the win against South Africa. He finished as India’s second-highest scorer in the tournament with 199 runs in eight innings at an average of 28.42 and strike rate of 135.37, including two fifties and a best of 53.
Overall in T20 World Cups, he’s scored 480 runs in 18 matches at an average of 40.00 and strike rate of 158.94, with five half-centuries and a top score of 94. His breakout 2022 edition in Australia saw him notch 239 runs in six innings at 59.75 average and 189.68 strike rate—three fifties and a best of 68—making him the tournament’s third-highest run-getter.
As captain, Suryakumar has led India to 13 wins, two losses, and one tie in 16 T20Is since taking over last year. With 16 Player of the Match awards, he shares the joint-third spot in T20I history alongside Kohli. Fans can’t wait to see what this T20 wizard does next—happy birthday, Sky!
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