Suryakumar Yadav has had a phenomenal run this year in the T20 format of the game which has seen him climb to the top of the ICC rankings list to occupy the number one slot.

The 32-year-old Mumbai batsman has shown remarkable consistency in a format in which this is not the norm, especially at the strike rate which he has maintained.

Surya has amassed 1026 runs from in 2022 at an average of 44-plus and a strike rate of 186, a no mean achievement.

He has been in tremendous form in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup that has reached the semi-final stage now in Australia, with a tally of 225.

His run tally includes three half tons and he is averaging 75 at a strike rate of a shade under 194.

He has a career strike rate of 179 from 39 matches which is nothing short of sensational.

Surya’s pyrotechnics in his 61 not out in 25 balls against Zimbabwe in India’s last league game, in which he played the lap and pull shot from outside the off stump against the pacers, also fetched him a deserving man of the match award.

India will be hoping that Surya continues in this vein.

Head coach Rahul Dravid, while praising the number four batsman, also pointed out that it has not come out as a bolt from the blue but is a result of hard work and top fitness regimen.

“I think he’s worked very hard. I think one of the things about Surya is just the amount of hard work that he’s put in in the nets, in thinking about his game, his fitness. If I look at Surya from a couple of years ago, just to see how he takes care of his body and the amount of time he spends on his fitness, I think he’s just really earning the reward for a lot of the hard work that he’s put in on and off the field, and long may it continue,” Dravid observed after India’s 71-run victory over Zimbabwe at the Melbourne Cricket Ground here last night.

Speaking about Surya’s terrific form Dravid pointed out how his consistency at the brisk rate he is getting the runs was truly remarkable.

“Yeah, it’s incredible. That’s why he is the No. 1 T20 player in the world at the moment, because of that consistency in a format where scoring at a strike rate that he does actually doesn’t — it’s not easy to be consistent with the kind of strike rate he’s going at. So, it’s just fantastic the way he’s playing. I think he’s been very clear in his processes. He’s very clear about his tactics.

“I think he’s been absolutely phenomenal for us. He’s just a joy to watch. It’s a pleasure to watch him bat when he’s in that kind of form. Every time it’s like he puts on a show, without a doubt,” Dravid gushed further in praise of the number four batsman.

Off spinner Ravichandra Ashwin, who has taken heavy punishment at times from Surya in past IPL games, was also fulsome in his praise of his teammate.

He is not a spring chicken but still pretty early in his international cricket he has been able to express himself,” said Ashwin while talking to reporters in the mixed zone last night at the MCG.

“You won’t expect someone to play a lap shot that he executed against a fast bowler. Surya plays such shots as everyone knows. He is one of the members of the team who counters spin well, with sweep and reverse sweep. If it merges with people who can hit down the ground it is a wonderful combination,” he commented further.

For the record, Surya got a late call-up for an India debut only last year in white ball cricket and is yet to figure in Tests after having figured in 13 One-Day Internationals and 77 first class games, other than in T20Is.

In first class cricket Surya, or SKY as he is known, has accumulated over 5000 runs, peppered with 14 hundreds and 26 fifties