Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], April 23 : Suryakumar Yadav is 73 runs away from reaching the 4000-run mark in the Indian Premier League (IPL), a significant milestone in what has been a remarkable career in the tournament. The stylish right-hander has represented both Mumbai Indians (MI) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) during his IPL journey, with his most productive years coming in the 'blue and gold' of Mumbai.
Surya began his IPL career in 2012 with Mumbai Indians but featured in only one game that season, failing to get off the mark. It wasn't until 2014 that he got his first substantial opportunity, donning the KKR jersey. Slotting into the middle order, Yadav impressed with his strokeplay and innovative shots and was part of the title-winning KKR side that year.
Between 2014 and 2017, Suryakumar played 54 matches for KKR, scoring 608 runs with a highest of 60--his lone fifty for the franchise.
In 2018, Mumbai Indians brought him back into the fold, and the move proved to be a turning point in his career. Since rejoining MI, Suryakumar has been a mainstay in the batting lineup, amassing 3319 runs in 104 matches. His tenure with MI has seen him notch up 25 half-centuries and two centuries, underlining his importance to the five-time champions.
Overall, Suryakumar Yadav has scored 3927 IPL runs and will be eyeing the 4000-run milestone when MI face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Wednesday. With form on his side, the landmark appears well within reach for the dynamic batter.
The last time the two teams met, MI won the toss and opted to field first. After that, Abhishek Sharma (40 in 28 balls, with seven fours) and Head (28 in 29 balls, with three fours) put on a 59-run partnership. However, the team could not maintain a fiery run-rate living up to the standard of their fiery brand of cricket, despite some effort from Heinrich Klaasen (37 in 28 balls, with three fours and two sixes). SRH posted 162/5 in their 20 overs, with Will Jacks (2/14) and Jasprit Bumrah (1/21) being the top bowlers.
During the run-chase, MI top order contributed enough to help their cause, with Rohit Sharma (26 in 16 balls, with three sixes) and Ryan Rickelton (31 in 23 balls, with five fours) producing quickfire knocks that took MI to 69/2 by the time they were dismissed. A 52-run stand between Will Jacks (36 in 26 balls, with three fours and two sixes) and Suryakumar Yadav (26 in 15 balls, with two fours and two sixes) took MI to the brink of an easy win, however, SRH bowlers decided to put up a fight. Tilak Varma (21* in 17 balls, with a four) and Mitchell Santner (0*) took MI to a four-wicket win with 11 balls left.
Skipper Pat Cummins (3/26) and Eshan Malinga (2/36) put up fighting spells for SRH, but it was not enough. MI rose to the seventh spot with three wins and four losses, giving them six points. SRH are at ninth spot with two wins and five losses, giving them just four points.